A vampire's bite
by L0ve-in-the-dark407
Summary: [complete]SetoxSerenity. A vampire never falls in love. He only seduces, uses, then kills. When love does come into play, it is never easy. A dark path awaits those willing to break a curse and to know the unknown.
1. Encounter

AU fanfic, but not by much, but still somewhat AU if I forget

Long ago, he was a boy of innocence. So young, the world was at his finger tips. His ice blue eyes surveyed his surroundings as he drug his fingers through his smooth brown hair. How he became a monster was a true tragedy. As he walked one day, he saw a woman in the forest, seeming to grasp a broken ankle. Though he was regarded as a man of cold blood, he knew that not even he could leave the frail woman by herself. As he bent to help her, her hand reached out and grasped his shoulder. Her teeth bared and in the next instant, all was silent. His eyes widened as she pulled away, his hands groping at the bite mark on his neck. No longer was a beggar woman in front of him, but a beautiful temptress with looks to kill. She was still on the ground panting, and only then did he notice the bloody mess that had become her body. She would not live, of that he was sure. No creature, human or not, could survive an attack like that. She offered up a smile, though it took most of her effort.

"Human, I am the queen of the vampires… I hope you did not expect me to go without a fight." She then collapsed on the ground. Seto Kaiba looked down on the woman with a mixture of pity and rage. What had he turned into? Suddenly, people surrounded him. They were all intoxicatingly beautiful, yet as he looked at them all, he knew they were there for him. He felt inside his mouth, where fangs now grew. He felt power coursing through him, other worldly power. He felt immortality take him over, and he sent everyone his piercing gaze as he turned around. A boy, about his age, stood before him. His hair was snow white and his dark eyes stared right back. They soon dropped because of Kaiba's piercing glare. He bowed down to him on one knee.

"I am Bakura sir. You have received the ultimate power of Vampires alike. We wish to serve you." Kaiba didn't doubt his words, because he now all knew of what had happened. The emotion of sadness had gone away, he did not know if that was temporary or permanent. He bowed his head to them with respect. They all sank to their knees.

"All hail the vampire king," they said in unison.

Serenity looked out at her school. Though, the boys down the courtyard were all looking out at her. As the new girl, she seemed to command the boys' attention. Being eighteen was like stepping into a whole new world. Her fiery hair, they were hoping, would match everything else about her. Her eyes, honey like and beautiful, were what they hoped to stare into. And her body… well, it was what they always fell in love with first. They wanted her to be "easy." But she was nothing like that, and knowing her, she would have to explain it to every boy she would reject. She dated (when her brother's attention wasn't fully on her), only to find out that there was still an empty void whether they were with her or not. True love was something she knew wasn't humanly possible for her. She'd need someone other worldly to know it.

As she walked to class, Serenity felt someone come up behind her. She glanced over, realizing that Tristan was following her, AGAIN. Tristan liked her, she knew that for sure. His actions spoke louder than his words. Neither was welcome to her. As she saw his mouth open to speak, she ducked into the nearest classroom; the door was promptly shut behind her. She knew that she would be late, but waiting out was better than talking to Tristan. She slid into an unoccupied seat in the back, hoping not to disturb the class. When she sat down, she noticed that all the shades in the room were drawn. It was not a ghastly darkness, but dark enough that she couldn't see the person up front. She could make out the outline of someone very tall, with extremely blue eyes. He was dressed in all black; his hair color must've been dark, for she couldn't make it out. His eyes were what intrigued her most though, as they seemed to be a light piercing the darkness. After noticing him, she then noticed there was no one else with her in the room. All the seats were empty, and she felt herself shudder.

"If you're trying to hide from me, I can already see you," the guy said, making her jump. He turned on the lights, so quick she could've sworn he'd done it with his mind. He was very attractive, that was the first thing she noticed when she turned around. His hair was brown, his figure lean. His eyes were just as intense in the light, maybe even more so. She felt a blush rise to her cheeks, but she hid it well, looking for something in her purse. She felt a finger under her chin. She realized it was his as he pushed her face up to look at his.

"You're very pretty," he said to her, and a smile played on his lips as another, more obvious blush rose to her cheeks.

"Th-th-thank you," Serenity stuttered. It was odd; no man had ever caused her to stutter before, not even her father at his angriest. Memories of her father made her suddenly abrupt, bringing her back to reality.

"I'm late for class," she realized, trying to side step the stranger. He held out his arm, blocking her path.

"My name is Seto Kaiba," he said, his arm still grazing her stomach. When she didn't respond, he brought his head closer to hers and whispered into her ear, "And your name would be?" Kaiba's sudden closeness caused Serenity to jump with surprise and a slight pleasure.

"Serenity Wheeler," she said, turning to look straight into his eyes. He was so close, his lips inches from hers. Then he smiled.

"I hope we meet again Wheeler," he said, his breath warm and intoxicating. He turned away and walked out of the classroom, leaving Serenity embarrassed, but somehow more alive.

Kaiba was familiar to her; she knew that she had seen him before. But, today wasn't a good day for her in terms of memory. She kept thinking back to how close Kaiba was to her, and that made her red again. She met up with one of her brother's friends, Tea, to go to her next class. She sighed when she saw Tristan out of the corner of her eye, trying to get her attention. Tea smiled. Though Tristan's situation was hopeless, it was quiet entertaining. As she sat in class, studies of mythical tales and legends, she and Tea talked excitedly.

"Joey and Mai are going to get together, I'll bet you anything," Tea said. Serenity smiled, hoping for the same thing. She saw the way they looked at each other, and she hoped things worked out for the best in the end. She was a firm believer that they always did.

"What's new with you anyway?" Tea asked, leaning back into her chair.

"I met this guy today. We were alone in this classroom, and we talked a little. He was gorgeous, but-"

At that moment, the door opened and the class fell silent. In walked a stranger who introduced himself as the teacher. A stranger with brown hair, a deep sexy voice, and piercing blue eyes.

"Hello class, my name is Kaiba, and I'll be your new teacher."

Kaiba had assigned work to them first thing. He could not stay in class, for he was needed at his other job. He said that class would be over for now, and next week they'd officially start. As the students left, Serenity held Tea behind.

"That's him, that's the guy! I wish I could remember where I've seen him before." Tea's eyes widened.

"Serenity, are you blind! That's Seto Kaiba. Owner of Kaiba Corp. The guy who has, like, ten thousand fan girls all over him everywhere he goes. One of the most eligible bachelors in the world. He'll probably rule the world before he's twenty five."

"How old is he now?" Serenity asked.

"Twenty-one I think," Tea said. "I can't see how you'd forget him. He's in at least two magazines a week." They started walking to the courtyard, where they'd meet Joey and Yugi for lunch. Tea was deep in thought, meaning that Yugi was probably preoccupying her mind at the moment. Serenity's thoughts turned to Kaiba. She'd never thought this much about a guy she'd just met before, ever. He was her teacher, and despite the fact that he was very young, she didn't want to cross the line, even in her thoughts. Her mind didn't heed her command though, as she thought about him again. His eyes, his hair, and the slight smirk on his face when he knew that he was happy with something. A hand touched her shoulder, and a voice whispered in her ear.

"Are you thinking about me?" Serenity turned quickly to find Kaiba standing behind her, the smirk on his face.

"No," she said quickly. "Why'd you sneak up on me!"

"You're standing in front of the vending machine," he informed her. She moved to the side quickly, causing her to stumble forward. His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her up, all in under fifteen seconds. He held her close to him, trying to help her regain her balance. She breathed in an intoxicating scent before she pulled away.

"Thank you Kaiba sensei," she said, feeling herself go red. His face remained blank, but he said nothing. He got his drink, popped the tab, and took a sip. He offered to her, but she shook her head.

"Don't call me sensei outside the classroom. In fact, don't call me it at all; I'm just doing this to get some extra money and to see if this school is right for my brother."

"Why do you need money if you're the president of a multi billion dollar company?" Serenity asked, wishing she could take the question back as soon as she said it. He smirked.

"Power and money are very important in this world, especially when you already have things that are important." Serenity was slightly miffed. She didn't believe in the sentence he just spoke.

"That's not true," she said, her voice raising a little. "There are other things that can make you happy. Even someone like you should know that!" Kaiba's eyes widened slightly, not form anger, but from amused surprise. Even Serenity was shocked by her own voice raising itself to be heard. She expected a comeback, some sort of yell. Maybe even a smart aleck remark. Not what happened.

What did happen was that Kaiba moved closer to her, his arm sliding down her shoulders, to her arms, to the small of her back, pulling her against his chest. Serenity's world turned upside down.

"I like a woman who speaks her mind," he whispered in her ear, and then he turned away, just like he had earlier. "I've read your work from previous teachers. I look forward to seeing you in class Wheeler." He walked away, not turning back as he went. Serenity just stood there watching him, even after he disappeared.

"You know he's gone, right?" a voice said, bringing her back to reality. Serenity turned to see Tea, a sarcastic smile on her face.

"How much did you see?" Serenity asked.

"I've been standing here the whole time," Tea's eyes took on some seriousness. "Watch your self Serenity. His eyes are cold like ice, but you're playing with fire. There's something wrong with that guy, like, supernatural wrong."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Serenity asked, wanting to know more about Kaiba.

Tea lowered her voice, "People say the guy's a vampire. He's the leader of some major clan or something. He IS kinda dark; all the shades in his class are always drawn." Serenity tried to repress her smile.

"You believe them?" Tea shrugged,

"That's just what I heard, that's all. It doesn't matter anyway, your brother hates him."

"Why's my brother hate Kaiba?" Serenity asked.

"Because he's an arrogant son of a bitch," a familiar voice said behind them. Serenity turned to see Joey standing behind her, with Mai and Yugi behind him. After hugging her brother, she nodded towards Mai and winked. Joey blushed and Mai smiled, making them forget Joey's statement about Seto Kaiba and going on to new subjects. But Serenity kept looking back to where she and Kaiba had had their conversation, as if she expected to still see him walking.


	2. Truth

Serenity dropped her books onto her bedroom floor. She was so exhausted; walking around her new school was most likely to kill her. It was twice as big as her old one. Living with her brother was the best choice that she could've made for herself, but picking up the mess he made living a "bachelor" life left her even more tired. As she flopped onto her bed, she thought to her class with Kaiba. How he would teach a subject that she loved everything about, and how she felt like the world was just about the two of them when they were together. They had only met that day, but she couldn't shake the stare of his eyes in her mind, or the growl of the voice he had that sent chills down her spine.

Kaiba barely made it into his front door before exhaustion and hunger brought him to his knees.

"ZAKURA!" he called, his voice echoing through the empty corridors. A woman, small in stature, but great in beauty, ran to his side. She wore a maid's outfit, showing off her curves. Her hair, a violent shade of crimson, wrapped around her body as she flopped down beside him. She pulled out a clear flask, a dark red liquid staining its insides. She twisted the top off, and then handed it to him. He drained the liquid in one quick gulp. Strength started within him again, and he rose to his feet. It was as if nothing ever happened. Kaiba wiped his mouth as he felt blood trickle down its side. Zakura gave him a dirty look.

"How long have you gone without fresh blood master?" she asked, her stern expression making the conversation seem sibling like. He walked into his room, putting his brief case on a chair as he went.

"Well?" Zakura asked, clearly waiting for a reply.

"Too long," Kaiba said, emerging from his room in jeans and a white T-shirt, his hair matted slightly. Zakura's expression suddenly turned to worry.

"One of our clan will die tonight without the blood that you have just drunk," she said quietly, as if she were already mourning. She followed Kaiba into the den, where he poured himself a glass of wine, then sat down in a chair by the fireplace. His familiar smirk returned to his face.

"And here I thought vampire's lost all emotion," he said. She turned to face him.

"You know that is a myth. Our feelings are buried very deep, they are not non-existent. Fear of death may drive one of them to kill." Kaiba studied Zakura. She was almost like a big sister, living three thousand years to this two thousand five hundred. Unlike many or those in his clan, she still had compassion for the human race. She still couldn't watch as her clan, her own family, killed or converted a human that the world wouldn't have missed anyway. She still had a soul. She was one of the few in the clan that he didn't take his lust out on, and that was surprising, since she was one of the prettiest. What set her apart was the respect he had towards her. Still, that didn't stop him from having some fun, like making her dress in the maid's outfit he was so fond of.

"One of them must hunt tonight Zakura," he said. He had pity, but could not make it known in his voice. Her look of horror disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, and she nodded.

"Not everyone is strong like you Master," she said, sadness in her voice. Kaiba's powers made him able to go for months without killing a human for his bloodlust. However, he needed fresh human blood every time he made a kill. Innocence always tasted the sweetest. And he was to hunt very soon.

"Master Mokuba is in his room. Everything is quiet with the clan, your house, and your company tonight. Shall I send Bakura in?" she asked. Kaiba nodded, and she left. Bakura was the one he was closest too, with the exception of Zakura and whatever lady was in his bed for the night. Bakura had taught him how to live so long ago when he had lost his humanity. Kaiba would have still risen in the ranks, but not as fast as when he had help from Bakura. Kaiba had never forgotten that, and put Bakura in the top ranks as well. He wasn't as powerful as Kaiba, no one was, but he was up there. He killed one human a month, unless he wanted to have some fun, which Kaiba let him have. His loyalty to him was what Kaiba valued most. Bakura entered, his face lit with an eerie glow because of the firelight. His mouth was caked in blood, meaning that he had made his kill for the month. He was also wearing his wicked smile, the one he wore when he had bloodlust and actual lust satisfied together in one night.

"Was she beautiful?" Kaiba asked as Bakura sat in the chair opposite him, pulling a bottle of liquor out of his pocket.

"Gorgeous," Bakura answered, downing the last of his gin. Kaiba smirked at his friend, knowing that in his head, he was reliving the night's events.

"Please don't relive your fantasies in front of me," Kaiba said. Bakura opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it, thinking better of it. No one argued with Kaiba, not even Mokuba. Bakura was no exception, so he returned the smirk.

"What was her name?" Kaiba asked, getting up to pour himself another glass.

"Aya, I think," Bakura said, scratching his head. Kaiba turned, the smirk still on his face.

"You think?" Kaiba said.

"My friend, all I noticed was the long legs, the even longer midnight hair, the bust line, and the life energy I felt pulsing from her." Bakura leaned back in his chair, seeming to relish the memory. "She was delicious."

"Please tell me you're referring to her blood," Kaiba said, rolling his eyes.

"I'll leave that to you to imagine," Bakura said, chuckling. Kaiba's eyes took on a sudden seriousness.

"I see you haven't brought her back with you. That means you didn't convert her. What did you do with the body?"

"Ah, what can I say? I was hungry." Bakura's eyes took on a somewhat seriousness, which was usually all you got from him. "I drank so much from her, her body turned into ash. The ash I threw into the ocean, about ten miles out." Kaiba's look went back to normal.

"Is she your kill for the month?"

"Yes, but only in the mandatory way. I might have some more fun later this month. Our clan needs some more girls." Bakura turned to look Kaiba in the face.

"What about you?" Bakura asked. "Have you found someone that sparks your interest here?" Kaiba smiled, raising the glass to his lips.

"I have someone in mind."

Serenity walked to class, feeling nervousness in the pit of her stomach. She took a seat in the very back of the class, while most of the girls in her class occupied the front. Kaiba walked in, smiling at his class. The shades were drawn, but the little sunlight outside made the room darker. The room was also very cold.

"Hello. I read all your papers. Not bad for a bunch of people who grew up with the education you did. Picking your own subjects for a short story turned out good for you. " No one knew whether to take this as a compliment or an insult, so nervous smiles appeared everywhere. Kaiba pulled a paper out from under the rest.

"This one intrigued me the most," he said, and he began to read,

"A vampire is not a soulless creature, but a creature whose soul has been lost." Serenity's blood ran cold, that was her paper. But, since she was sitting in the back, no one noticed. Kaiba continued.

"Bloodlust, lust, and love play into the vampire world. His true love was the crimson liquid he craved to live. Like any human, a vampire body has its desires. Lust for the human body that holds the life. Love. Love was something unknown to many, human and nonhuman alike. Known to those who have lost their souls, and quite possibly their hearts; love may not be possible. To bring back a soul, to warm a heart of ice, to bring lust and love together; that is what love for a vampire is." Kaiba held his breath, in then exhaled slowly.

"That was beautiful." One sentence from his mouth gave Serenity a look into his soul, and she saw in his eyes a suffering that seemed to have last decades. It made her heart ache for him. The vulnerability lasted less than a second, and the hardness in his eyes came back. It barely lasted, she was barely sure that she saw it. His eyes turned quickly, locking onto hers.

"Wheeler," he said suddenly, making all eyes turn to her. Having no friends with a reassuring look in her class didn't make it any better.

"Yes?" she answered, her voice coming out surprisingly clear.

"Switch with Aki," he said, referring to the girl who sat directly in front of his desk. The girl pouted, but to no avail. Serenity gathered what she had and walked to the front of the class, ignoring the evil look that was shot at her. She sat, feeling Kaiba's stare on her. He moved to her, dropping her paper on her desk.

"You got an 'A'," he whispered. She felt her cheeks flush with warmth as yet another blush rose to her cheeks.

Class let out, and Serenity was the last to get her things. As she prepared to walk out the door, she felt a firm, but gentle grip on her shoulder. She turned to face Kaiba's eyes.

"Yes?" she asked, her voice coming out not as strong as she would've hoped.

"Your paper… What makes you think that all vampires are like that?" Serenity gave back the sarcastic smirk that Kaiba often gave.

"What makes you think that I believe in vampires?" she asked. He returned the smirk. His hand slowly lifted, and his finger traced down the side of her face. She tried her hardest not to blush, or let the chaotic emotions growing inside her show.

"Your eyes betray that fact," he said, his face an inch closer to hers than it had been a minute ago. She pulled back, but didn't leave the room. She sat on a desk, her legs crossed. She was suddenly conscious of the tight fitting tank top she wore, and the mini skirt.

Kaiba's eyes slowly fell on Serenity's body. She was beautiful, even the blind could see that. She was also ample in the places that drove men wild, which made her even more appealing. Her soul captured his interest though, as he wanted to know that most. His body ached for one like hers; he couldn't lie to himself about that. He hadn't been with a woman in about a month, he had more important matters. The women of his clan didn't appeal to him anymore, those who threw themselves at him and those who played hard to get. Regular women were too easy, those who weren't usually didn't live to see morning. What intrigued Kaiba most about Serenity was that she wasn't bending as quickly as the others did. It usually took him an hour to corrupt a soul. A day if the soul was absolutely pure. Now it was the second day, and neither had made a move. He knew that he would have to work hard for this one. He didn't want to turn away though. Once something held his genuine interest for more than a day, he didn't stop until he had it. His blood ran hot, making him resemble, if only in soul, a mere mortal. That made him angry. He moved to her, his hands locking around her wrists. He didn't grip them hard. Her wrists were incredibly small, but also very soft. The ache in him grew, but he repressed it. Patience was something he usually had to have. He didn't see fear in her eyes, surprise and genuine intrigue, but not fear. Fear was something he was used to, not something he particularly enjoyed. Something other than fear lit the fire of his desire even more.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Serenity stared into the cold blue intensity of Kaiba's eyes. She knew that she should have been scared. The door was closed, the classroom dark. No one could see them. His hands held her wrists with a gentle firmness, not something you would expect from Seto Kaiba. The way he held her wrists, the gentle ease that had shown, something had shown in him. Vulnerability was showing again.

"What are you doing?" The question hung in the air. His grip tightened.

"I don't know." The voice came in barely a whisper. Serenity kept her eyes on his.

"I can't get you out of my head Wheeler," he told her. "That bothers me." She smiled, knowing she wasn't the only one who couldn't get the other out of her head. She looked for a soul in his eyes, not finding anything. He wasn't human. The fact didn't scare or shock her like it should have. She had a feeling she had known all along.

"I won't tell anyone you're a vampire," she said to him, watching his eyes widen with shock. She tilted her head to the side in a flirty way.

"I don't know how, but I figured it out, okay?" He nodded, his face coming closer. She pulled back again.

"I want to know more," she nodded her head towards the windows. "You're obviously not afraid of the sun." He smirked at her, she wasn't scared at all.

"You want to see, huh?" All in an instant, everything changed. His fangs bore, and his eyes took on a luminescent quality. They practically shone like the sun. He was even more beautiful. He threw her to the ground, and pinned her there. His body draped over hers, their faces a foot apart. Her arm throbbed from hitting the floor, but other than that, she was fine. His sudden closeness brought thoughts to her head and a blush to her cheeks. His breath was warm, and she breathed it in.

"Have you seen enough?" he asked her, pressing into her. Her breasts against his chest brought more color to her cheeks, but her face did not turn to fear. His hands traced up her legs, arms, and to her neck.

"You wouldn't bite me," she said, feeling less brave than she appeared. He smirked at her false bravery.

"What makes you so sure?" he said, his lips an inch from her neck. His breath on her neck made her shiver.

"Because you would have done it already." He pulled back and studied her. His fangs retracted, and the shine in his eyes disappeared. He rolled of her, immediately the ache for her body returned. He didn't understand the emotions inside him, no woman, supernatural or not, had ever made him feel like this. She sat up, adjusting her clothes where they were disheveled. He looked away, respecting her privacy. Her hands touched his shoulders, letting him know he could turn. He helped her get up; she was steadying herself against him.

"What's happening?" she asked, wanting to know what she was experiencing. From the thoughts she was having, her first thought was lust. That wouldn't be surprising, she thought, as she felt her eyes start to wander his body. He was tall, lean, and had a body that could make any girl faint, even under clothing. She barely knew him, and yet all she wanted was to be embraced by him.

"What's happening," he said, turning away from her, "is up to you." He turned to face her.

"Meet me tonight," he told her, his hand grabbing hers. She knew what he could do to her, she knew that associating with him was something that wasn't very smart, but she didn't care. She let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. His hand led hers to his chest. She placed her hand over his heart. No heart beat.

"Where?"


	3. Meeting

Kaiba sat in his den after going home, working on a few things for his company. As he typed on his laptop, he slowly drank a mixture of blood and wine. He needed a little more nourishment than usual, especially after what had happened to him yesterday. He needed to hunt before the end of the month, or any enemy could see his weakness. His face turned into a scowl as he thought of his enemy, Marik. His blood ran cold. Marik had once served under him, a part of his clan in the beginning. His power hungry attitude could only so much be tolerated, but he was also the most knowing of many things, especially how to kill his immortal enemies. He had lived so long, gained so much power, and yet Kaiba had done the same thing in a shorter time. Kaiba had given him the option of leaving and living with the people he had been with so long as his enemy; or staying, remembering his place. Marik left, and he had his own followers in no time. He was just as skilled, they were evenly matched. A small knock at the door interrupted his stream of thought.

"What?" he asked, meaning that the person knocking could come in. Mokuba stepped in the door, closing it behind him. Kaiba closed his laptop, giving his brother his full attention. Mokuba took the seat opposite from him, staring his brother in the eye. Kaiba sometimes couldn't believe how much his little brother had grown. Being fifteen, he stood almost as tall as Kaiba did. His raven hair was always tied back behind him now, still out of control. His eyes had gained seriousness with years, and he seemed to see right through anything. Yet, he was still Kaiba's little brother, sharing with him the vampire curse and so much more.

"How are you?" Mokuba asked. It was such a simple question, yet the answer was difficult to give. Kaiba wanted to tell his brother the truth, that he was intrigued by a girl who held his interest far longer than she should have. That made him feel out of control, and feeling out of control made him feel like he was transparent enough to see through. He didn't like that feeling. But he didn't say any of that. Instead he tipped his head back, downed the last of his blood/wine mixture, and answered, "I'm fine."

Serenity sat in her room, the light closed and the shades drawn. The dark had never felt threatening to her; it seemed to bring a solitude she loved to grasp in her darkest times. She fell back on her bed, feeling that the world would engulf her as her sheets did. She would meet Kaiba in two hours. The thought of him made her chest ache, and thoughts of him flooded her head. She thought of his non existent heart beat, wondering if he had a heart at all. She got up, drug herself to the shower, and jumped in. The feel of hot water on her naked body was soothing, especially after what she had discovered. Kaiba not being human was something that she wouldn't discover every other day, yet she treated it as such. Her mother used to tell stories of vampires, real stories, not ones that followed the myths. She loved stories about vampires and their tortured souls. Healing them seemed impossible, which is what made it so amazing to her. She stopped her shower, brushing her arm against the wall. She flinched and looked down at her arm. A bruise, like a blood rose, was blooming under her skin. She didn't remember where she got it from, until she thought back to how Kaiba pinned her. That showed the ferocity in him, and that made her wonder about him even more. She brushed and wrung out her hair, letting it flow freely and loosely to her shoulders. Her hair seemed to glow in the rising moon, dripping moonlights with every drop. She walked to her room, choosing to wear a black mini skirt and a black tank top.

_All black_, she thought, _how fitting_. The black made her bruise standout, but she didn't care at the moment. She slipped on a long jacket, knowing her brother would say something about her outfit if he saw. She crept down the stairs to the door, passing by the kitchen and her brother, talking to someone on the phone. From the glow on his face, she would've bet anything that it was Mai. She smiled, silently wishing her brother luck. The door silently slammed behind her, but she was sure he didn't hear.

Kaiba and she had agreed to meet in Aster Park, known for its unique flowers that only bloomed in the moonlight. He smirked when he told her to meet him by the blood roses, which she knew was somehow a subtle joke. She at on a bench, waiting. A hand grasped her shoulder, making the hair on her neck raise.

"I thought you would be more scared than that," a voice behind her said. "Its dangerous out here at night, a vampire might just kill you." She turned to see Kaiba, his eyes glowing in the moonlight. She felt a sudden chill, and pulled her jacket tighter around her before letting her arms drop to her side. She smirked at him.

"Did you fly in as a bat and surprise me from behind?" she asked. He sat down next to her.

"That's a myth," he said, closing the gap between them, "but I'm sure you were just kidding." She nodded, her hands clasped together on her lap. He watched her, amazed at everything she did, even as she was doing nothing.

_She's only my kill, _Kaiba thought to himself, _my nourishment. Nothing more. _His eyes wandered her body again, but realizing that he couldn't see it, he knew that he wanted to. He brought his hands onto her shoulders, sliding the jacket off of her as he brought his arms down. She was beautiful.

Her hair, still slightly damp, caught the light of the moon, making it seem like it was glowing with life. Her eyes shone brightly, almost iridescent, in the light that seemed to caress her face gently. Her clothes clung to her, awakening the ache for her he had, and the black she wore seemed to make her part of the night that was his domain. She looked like she belonged with him. Kaiba's last thought seemed to wake him up. She was his victim, nothing more.

"Why did you call me here?" she asked.

"Because you want to know more," he said, and then he explained. He left his past and own personal feelings out of it. He told her that he had lived for more than two thousand years, the basics and principles of vampires. He told myths apart from truths, all in the cool, calm Kaiba way. Serenity listened intently, giving him her full attention. When he finished, she let out a long breath.

'There's something else, isn't there?" she asked. He was confused, but his exterior didn't let it show. She looked directly at him.

"I want to know why you're so interested in me," she said. "I'm no different than any other girl." As she finished, she brushed her hand against the ragged end of the bench, cutting her hand.

"Ow," she said under her breath, but not without him hearing. Quick as lightning, he took her hand in his. He cradled it, gentle in a way she didn't think he could be.

Kaiba looked at her, then at the blood dripping down her hand. He brought it to his mouth, sucking the blood in. She didn't pull her hand back, but watched as he gently kissed away her pain, seeming to take it in with her blood. Her blood was sweet; no nourishment he had ever had made him feel like this before. He gently lowered her hand, feeling her blood trickle from his mouth. He didn't move to wipe it away. He thought back to her previous statement, _"I'm no different than any other girl." _

"_Yes, you definitely are," _he thought.

Kaiba walked Serenity home, and she felt his eyes on her the whole way. A foot from her door, he looked directly at her.

"You taste sweet," he told her, causing her to go red. She felt so much rising inside her, but there was one thing she knew she had to say.

"You want to kill me, don't you?" she asked him. Silence stood between them as he pondered her question. Finally, he said,

"I honestly don't know what I want from you. I can't think straight right now." Suddenly, she felt that the distance between them, though there was really none, was too much. She stepped closer to him, breathing in his scent. He smelled like the night.

The sudden closeness caught Kaiba off guard, but he recovered quickly. What did he want from her? He didn't know. She was his nourishment, but what was it about her that made him so… He couldn't even finish his train of thought, as he felt her take another step towards him. Now, if he wanted, her could reach his hand up and brush it against her body. He didn't.

"How much time before you hunt again?" she asked him. Her voice was like a breeze, blowing gently by his face. He calculated quickly, stretching his time to the limit.

"About a month," he told her.

"I'll change your mind by then," she told him. He raised his eyebrow, the amused smirk coming back to his face.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

"You'll see."


	4. Willing and unwilling

Serenity's world seemed to change as she closed the door to her small house. Everything was dark, except for the sliver of light coming from the living room. Serenity knew that Joey would be asleep in front of the TV again, probably watching some drama that had lost its prime years ago. She slowly went to her room, the sound of her footsteps padding gently beneath her were her only companions. She wouldn't see Kaiba for another two days since it was the weekend. That both relieved and saddened her. As she slept, she dreamt of many things. Death, life, hope, joy, and what seemed like eternal sadness hidden behind a pair of deep blue eyes.

Serenity woke up earlier than usual the next morning. As she came out of the trance of sleep, the memories of the night before hit her. She saw them all in a flood of motion, all ending with her promise to Kaiba, "I'll change your mind." In truth, she didn't want to die. Living eternally seemed to leave Kaiba with a sadness so deep, she didn't think she could endure that either. She would change his mind, but not in the way of him killing her. What she did want was to change his mind about life and the way he lived his.

-

-

-

Kaiba sat in the basements of his mansion, watching his clan train. The morning light shone through the windows, making the sight seem even more, if possible, ghastly. It was brutal; those fighting with weapon or hands were often bloodied to a pulp. Fighting was an essential, and so were other things. They captured enemies, sometimes even the toughest of mortals, and made them fight to the death. Usually, Kaiba's clan won in the end, but when they put up a good fight, he was usually there to watch. He saw Zakura out of the corner of his eye, nursing the seriously injured in a crevice of the wall. The pang of guilt he usually felt came to him, but quickly disappeared as another body fell to the floor. Kaiba remembered when he had to train like that. The skill came to him naturally, not just brought on by the powers the queen gave him when she died. That gave him more of an edge, and that caused more fear to stir in the hearts of those who feared him. He would be just as bloody, just as bruised; but he would win.

-

-

-

Serenity walked to the kitchen and made breakfast for her brother. The smell would wake him in about an hour or so, but she needed to clear her head. She left a note on the table, saying she had gone for a walk, possibly even meet with Tea to go shopping. She threw on the same tank top from last night, but wore it with a pair of jeans that fell to her slender hips because they were so big on her.

The park was empty when she walked through it, which surprised her since it was a weekend. Serenity steadied herself as she felt a dizzy spell come over her.

_I didn't get enough sleep last night, _she thought to herself as she sat on a bench. Her thoughts, no matter how hard she willed them not to, wandered back to Kaiba. How last night, all she wanted was to feel his warmth around her, and how she knew that he wanted something more from her as well. She wanted him, he wanted her. But for two very different reasons. But, were they so different? Serenity opened her eyes to stare at the blue sky, but instead found herself staring into a different kind of blue. The blue eyes of Seto Kaiba.

"Hi," she said.

-

-

-

He looked directly at her, drinking in her features. He had to get away from his past for a day, and walking out he found himself drawn to where he had last seen Serenity. Seeing her there, he thought he was hallucinating; but when he stared into the depths of her honey eyes, he knew that he wasn't. She was staring back with equal intensity, and then she whispered a greeting. He nodded in acknowledgement of her. He realized that he was towering over her, so he swiftly moved to the side and sat beside her. Her body heat seemed to beckon to him, a quiet, but obvious temptress. The silence and stillness, though brief, was too much for him. He got up quickly, dragging his hand through his hair in the process.

"Walk with me?" he said to her, holding out his hand. She nodded, and placed her hand in his; but as she got up, she tripped over a crack in the side walk. As she started to fall, Kaiba pulled her in and held her close to him, not even bothering to let go after she regained her balance.

-

Serenity didn't seem to grasp the reality of what had happened. As she grabbed Kaiba's hand, she felt herself fall forward over a crack in the sidewalk. She braced herself for impact until she felt herself being jerked forward. She was against his chest, feeling his arms tightly encircle her waist. He didn't move to push her away, and neither did she. She rested her head against his chest, breathing him in. She longed to feel soothed by a beating heart, only to realize that he had no heart; his true nature had stolen it from him. She felt his hand stroke the small of her back, sending a shiver up her spine. The chaotic emotions were rising inside her again, and it was taking every ounce of her strength to not act on them. After five minutes of stillness, she shifted her head to look at him. Her eyes met his in a long stare, one that held so much emotion she thought she might drown in it.

"Uh, Kaiba?" she said, feeling his arms weaken their grip on her. Speaking seemed to break the moment, bringing both of them back to reality. To anyone who would have passed by at that moment, they would have just been a pair of lovers in their own little world, not the cursed hunter and his prey, who both didn't understand what they were doing to each other.

-

-

-

Serenity walked home by herself later that afternoon. After Kaiba and she had broken their embrace, he told her he would see her tomorrow, and then he walked away abruptly. She started to step towards him, wanting to ask him to stay a little longer, but he disappeared into shadow as she took her first step. After that, she went and did some shopping and then wandered aimlessly around the park again; hoping, if only in her deepest thoughts, to see him again.

She didn't.

As Serenity relived the day's events, she realized that she hadn't eaten anything. She quickened her pace home, hoping that they still had enough food to make dinner. As she stepped inside her house, she met the fierce eyes of her angry brother.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU!" he shouted, sending something in the house crashing to the floor.

"I was out," Serenity said, trying to side step him. He wouldn't let her.

"Don't try to tell me you were with Tea, because I know you weren't," he said to her.

"I didn't try to tell you that," she said to him. Serenity had become used to his outbursts, but they were always at random moments. She turned to directly look at him.

"I'm old enough to make my own decisions now, and if I don't tell you things that aren't your business, you don't need to worry about it. However, if you must know, I went for a long walk in the park today, and then I went shopping." Joey was quiet; seeming to know that he over reacted again. Serenity was glad he was looking down, because if he looked up at that moment, he would have seen the guilt on her face. She didn't technically lie to her brother, but not telling him the complete truth made her feel awful. She quickly went to the kitchen, busying herself making food.

An hour later, Serenity sat on her bed. She was full and she was happy. Her brother was put in a good mood because of dinner; you wouldn't know he threw a tantrum by looking at him. Her thoughts, of course, returned to Kaiba. The way he held her, it seemed like he never wanted to let her go. She touched her hand to her heart, feeling that heartbeat beneath her fingers. Kaiba didn't even feel the warmth of his own life running through him anymore, his heartbeat hadn't been there for such a long time.

_Seto Kaiba, why do you intrigue me so much? _Those were the last thoughts in her head before she drifted into a troubled sleep.

-

-

-

Kaiba relaxed, in his room, feeling the cold air of air conditioning wash over him. Most of his clan was out hunting, others taking out their lust in the underground underneath his mansion where most of them slept. A select few, like Bakura, Zakura, and his brother, slept in rooms in the mansion. He layed his head back on his bed's backboard, lost in his thoughts. Serenity. She was in his head all the time. All of her physical and inner beauty brought him to a place where he didn't feel safe. Because when he was there, he saw what humanity looked like, and he almost, **almost**, wondered what it would be like to possess it again. He shook the thought out of his head, but then thought of Serenity again. He wanted her body, he was sure of that. But, he also knew there was more than lust behind it. It had been a week and a half now, and he hadn't done anything but touch her. He wanted more, but somewhere, something was telling him that even touching her could be too much. When he touched Serenity, Kaiba's in control manner that he usually carried with him seemed to slip away. All he wanted to do was hold her forever. He stopped his thoughts in midstream.

"What is wrong with me?" he asked himself softly, shifting so that he slowly fell into a sleeping position. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, causing him to sit upright again.

"What?" he said in an agitated voice, not bothering to look up.

"I always loved it when you use that voice Seto, it's sexy," someone said as the door opened, then closed again. Kaiba looked up into the cold eyes of Shiori. Kaiba straightened a little. Shiori was the most beautiful, and the most dangerous woman of his clan. She was small, had a petite frame, and pale, creamy white skin. Her hair, as dark as a moonless night, flowed down her back to her thighs, smooth as silk. Her eyes were a wild shade of green, so bright that he could feel the intensity from across the room. Her lips were full, and her fangs peaked beneath them. She had a perfect body, thin, with a flat stomach, and ample in the areas that drew men in. Whatever she wore didn't do justice to her body, her beauty was otherworldly. She stood in front of him wearing a short, black, lacy nightgown. He saw that it untied in the back. This was enough to drive any other man over the edge, but he wasn't any other man.

"Hello Shiori," he said, watching as she made her way towards him. He had been with her many times, and he was familiar with her slow seductress walk. In bed, she was amazing. How she lived and everything about her made her in control. She seemed like she didn't care about anything, but he could read almost any emotion very well. She was hungry for him; he was the one man who kept her coming back for more. She stood by the bed.

"Do you want some company tonight?" she asked him, her voice dripping with seduction. In truth, he could've used someone like Shiori at the moment. He wanted to get out of his own head, and what better way then sex? He looked her over. He was the one who had converted her all those years ago. She was eighteen when she turned, a soul already corrupted from the tainting of the human race. She made a very good vampire, killing was no problem for her; she even managed to add a little flair to anything she did. She kneeled on the bed in a position where he could see her bust line. He didn't even flush. He smirked at her when her face came close to his. His lips were barely inches from hers when he turned his head.

"I'm not in the mood tonight," he said. She pulled back to look at him, cocking her head to the side.

"That doesn't sound like you," she said. "The old you would have never turned down something like that." She smirked at him. "Could it be that too much human interaction is messing with your head?" Faster than the eye could see, Kaiba grabbed her and flipped her on her back. He pinned her and fixed her with a menacing glare.

"Don't ever say that again," he said in an icy whisper. She smiled up at him, pushing her body up and closer to his. She brushed her lips against his, and waited. He mentally kicked himself. She had him in a trap, and he had to prove to her that he was still Seto Kaiba, the vampire leader with no soul and who would take any beautiful woman into him for a night. He returned her kiss; the ferocity channeled through it was his anger. She didn't care. She pushed his shirt above his head, as he reached around her back, pulling the lace gown from her body. Sex for Kaiba was next to nothing, and he usually just concentrated on keeping his partner needy. This time though, he just wanted it to be over as soon as possible. As he looked into the intensity of Shiori's immortal eyes, a pair of honey ones flew through his mind.

_Serenity, _he thought.

The sex was over soon enough, and Shiori smiled as she got dressed.

"I knew that I was wrong about you," she told him. "You're still the same old Kaiba." Kaiba was dressed already, urging her to get out with his mind. She kissed him again before she left, full and intense. He reluctantly returned it. She broke the kiss, smiled, then left. He wanted to see Serenity. He looked at his clock, the numbers looming large above him.

_Three A.M., huh?" _he thought to himself as he got up. _Well, this can't wait. _

He dissolved into shadow, and let the wind carry him toward Serenity, knowing that somehow, he would find her quickly.

-

-

-

Serenity's sleep was broken by a tapping sound. She sat up, looking around. There was nothing. She stretched and got out of bed, her shirt sleeve falling off her shoulder. She wore one of her brother's tank tops and her own panties to bed, meaning that the shirt was longer since he was taller, and a little loose. It showed of her body in the moonlight. And her creamy complexion seemed to glow. She walked to the window, then looked out. There was nothing but the moon, high up in the sky. It looked so peaceful; she didn't know if she could break her eyes away.

Suddenly, she felt a strong arm encircle her waist and a hand clamp her mouth. Her scream caught in her throat and she tried to struggle.

"Calm down you fool," a voice said in her ear, "It's me." Kaiba? The hand slowly dropped from her mouth, and the arm let her go. She turned and looked into Kaiba's eyes. He was not bothering to hide the longing beneath them now. Serenity realized that Kaiba was looking at her from head to toe, and all she was wearing was a white tank top and panties. She blushed intensely, which made him smirk.

"How'd you get in here?" she asked, looking to make sure her door was still close.

"I came in as a shadow," he told her. She didn't even bother to question him. He suddenly took a step, and he was right in front of her.

"I've been thinking about you Serenity," he told her, leaning in close. She swallowed.

"Same here," she said in a whisper. She didn't even know what made that come out of her mouth; except that it had it was true. He put his arm around the small of her back, leading her to him. She didn't pull away.

He traced her mouth with his finger. His face was inching closer by the second. Finally, his kiss reached her lips with such ferocity. She returned it, feeling it throughout her entire body. His tongue gained entrance to her mouth, deepening it. He directed her backwards to the bed, feeling her soft whimpering as she hit her pillow. His desire was building, but all of a sudden, he found himself pushing it back. He broke the kiss, and looked at the girl beneath him. She was even more beautiful than he remembered, and the look in her eyes told him that she would do almost anything with him tonight. But he couldn't say the same. He pushed himself off of her, sitting on the bedside as he got up. She pushed herself up, placing her hands on his shoulders.

_I don't want to hurt her, _he realized. He touched her hand with his, enjoying the warmth on his cold skin. He wasn't himself, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I understand," she whispered to him, leaning her body against his back. Somehow, he realized that she did. He turned to look at her, and held her against him. He didn't realize how long he held her, but he knew he had to go. He gently pushed her away. She lay back, her body moving in a way that made him ache for her again. He dissolved into shadow, leaving her behind. He would see her soon enough, but he had to get out of her presence. If he stayed but a moment longer, he wouldn't have been able to leave.


	5. Love and Confusion

Sorry for not updating, my computer's been down!

-

-

Life was normal for Serenity the next morning. She got up, made breakfast, and then had a smile on her face as her brother escorted her out the door. He headed the other way, deciding that he was "playing hooky with Mai today." Serenity smiled and promised she wouldn't tell, and then watched him practically skip away.

It was a gloomy day, no sun in sight. Serenity wore jeans and a tight fitting sleeveless white shirt. She regretted that decision as soon as she felt the chilly air on her bare arms. In truth, she thought of the night before, and that made her shiver even more. Kaiba's kiss still seemed to burn on her lips, and that alone made her body heat up. She was falling into an unknown place with him, even though she knew how dangerous he was. She barely knew him, but that made her want to know him even more. She stopped in the middle of her walk, putting her hand over her heart. It was beating like crazy.

_I want to be with him right now. _

The thought came into her mind so simply, so easily. She felt the warmth in her cheeks again. Last night, if he didn't stop, she knew that she wouldn't have either. She would have given her body, her own innocence that could only be taken once, to him, and she knew why. Because her heart was already his. Her mother had once told her, before she died, that love had no limits. It had no age, no gender, no time, no race, no restrictions, nothing. It just was. Serenity knew that to him, she was only prey. Sweet blood to sustain his life, perhaps just a body to his lust. That didn't explain why he stopped last night. She had leaned against him, putting her hands on his shoulders and spoke words of comfort.

_I understand. _

She somewhat understood, but not enough to explain. She continued walking, even though all the thoughts in her head seemed to have taken all the strength out of her. She stopped again, a block from her school. She saw Tea and Yugi, and some of her other friends. Then she saw Kaiba. He was getting out of his car, a bored expression on his face. He wore his traditional trench coat, and didn't seem to be thinking about anything. She backed into the shadows of the trees before he saw her, then watched as he made his way past the students into the building. The bell rang, and the students went in. No one passed her for some time. She knew she was late for her first class, but she didn't care. Her head hurt from confusion, and putting her hand to it, she felt that she was crying.

"I don't want to see him," she said to herself in a hoarse whisper. But even then, her own words betrayed her. She cried a little harder then, stifled sobs coming from her mouth.

_I do want to see him. I really do. _

Serenity held her head up, and realized that rain was starting to come down. She didn't care, because she felt that she was in her own world at the moment. And everything was crying with her, including the sky. She put her hand over her heart again, and realized the rapid beating was still there. She had to get to school, she knew that. So she slowly made her way toward the building. Then, her world seemed to stop as she approached the front stairs. The rain still came down, and life still went on around her. But to Serenity, everything didn't seem to matter. Because at that moment, a realization hit her, one that rocked her world to its core.

_Oh my God! I've fallen in love with him so much. _

_-_

_-_

-

Kaiba didn't have class with Serenity until third period, so he didn't think too much when he didn't pass her in the hallway. When second period hit, he stepped out of his class room and leaned against the door, listening to the world around him. Then, he saw her. She was down the hall, and he looked her over. She was soaking wet, but she was attracting more stares than usual from guys. Then, he noticed that her shirt was see through, revealing her bra; and it clung to her body, accentuating all her curves. The boys laughed, the lust in their eyes gleaming. He moved toward her so fast, and caught her arm. She didn't even see him, and when she saw it was him, she didn't meet his eyes.

"Come with me Wheeler," he said as he led her towards his class. He closed the door behind him, but he didn't say anything after that. She didn't speak, but sat on a nearby desk, shivering. He took his coat off and threw it at her.

"Put it on," he said, and she nodded. His clothes were so long on her small frame, but she seemed grateful for the warmth.

"Wheeler," he said, coming closer to her. "Look at me." She didn't lift her head. He slammed his fist down, causing a gasp of surprise to come from her lips.

"Look at me, Dammit," he said in an icy whisper. She lifted her head, her eyes revealing a wounded soul. He moved closer to her, as if she herself drew him in.

"About last night…" he started, but she cut him off.

"I know, it was nothing. It didn't mean anything to you,"

"That's not it," he told her, feeling that he shouldn't have said that right afterward. She looked him directly in the eye, and he felt emotions rise inside him.

"Then what is it?" she asked. He couldn't answer her, for he himself didn't know.

"All I am to you is prey, right?" she asked. He nodded, though he knew that he wasn't telling the truth. He saw her eyes cloud with hurt, and he wished he could take it back. She got up then, and stood directly in front of him.

"This is something more to me," she told him, her hand reaching out and clutching his shoulder. "I wish it wasn't, but it is." He pushed her away.

"We can't talk here," he told her. Quick as wind, he held her in his arms and dissolved into shadow. He felt her shock as she clung to him. All at once, his vision cleared, and they were in his room. He couldn't think of anywhere else to bring her. She pushed away from him slowly, taking in her new surroundings.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"My house," he said, willing her to look him in the eye again. She slipped her shoes off and threw them in the corner.

_What a way of being polite, _he thought.

"What did you mean earlier?" he asked her, wanting the silence between them to break.

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning away from him. He felt the anger inside him rise. He hated that she wasn't looking at him. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, willing her to look into his eyes.

"Let me go," she said in a pleading whisper, her tone betraying her words. He tightened his grip around her. Suddenly, she looked directly at him. Her eyes held emotion that he barely saw. Not anger, not hatred. Not even sadness. What he saw in her eyes was love. His grip loosened from the after shock, and she pushed him away.

"All you want is my body right?" she said, throwing his coat on the floor. Her words were full of hurt; he thought she would break any moment.

"Go ahead, you can have it. Fuck me right here," she said. She pulled her shirt over her head, revealing her bra and her pale stomach. Kaiba's eyes widened, from lust or shock, he wasn't sure. She walked up to him and kissed him forcefully, and he returned it, feeling his arms encircle her. He felt her hands graze his shirt, unbuttoning it slowly. He wanted this so much, he knew that he did. But, at that moment, to take her when she was so broken…

_I can't do this. _

He pushed her away, and sat her on the bed. He threw a towel to her.

"Go clean up Wheeler," he told her. "You'll catch a cold." She didn't move, so he told her again. She got up and slowly went to the bathroom, and shut the door behind her.

"Zakura," he called, and he soon felt her presence.

"What master?" she asked, her eyes wide with shock and full of questions. She had heard everything.

"Get her some clothes," he said, and she nodded "And I need some blood." She disappeared quickly, and then soon reappeared. He drank the blood gratefully, reveling in the taste. Zakura left Serenity's clothes in the bathroom, not bothering to look at the broken girl sobbing behind the glass shower door.

_Poor thing. _

Zakura saw Kaiba hold Serenity's shirt in his hands as she came back. He had something in his eyes that she hadn't seen in him, ever. Regret. He heard her and looked up, and the cold hard glare returned to his eyes. Instead of staring back, Zakura smiled.

"She's changed you master," she told him, walking to leave.

"What do you mean?" he demanded to know, the menace in his voice returning. As she prepared to leave, Zakura turned her head and smiled.

"I think she gave you your heart back." And before Kaiba could retaliate, she closed the door behind her. He scowled, bringing his fist down on the soft mattress.

_What heart? _

-

-

-

Serenity washed what she felt was shame off of her body. She held the towel around her as she slowly peeked out the door. His eyes met hers instantly, and he beckoned to her. She wrapped the towel tighter around herself.

"Zakura got you some clothes, and I believe she left them in the bathroom." Serenity blushed, then slowly backed away. As soon as she closed the door behind her, she spotted the clothes in the mirror. She brushed her hair, but continued to let it drip. She was left a tight red halter dress that didn't leave anything to the imagination. Serenity knew that she wasn't in a position to complain, but she was still self conscious as she slipped it over her head. It fit her perfectly. She sat in the bathroom for a while, just thinking. Then, she got up and walked out. He was still there, waiting for her. His eyes drank her in and suddenly she felt the need to cover herself up. She retrieved the coat that she had thrown on the floor earlier, and slowly slipped it on. He rose to meet her, their sudden closeness seeming to be too much for her. He slid his hands over her arms, and he made the coat that was too big for her drop to the floor.

-

-

-

_This is getting dangerous. _

Kaiba felt it, his true nature calling. He was hungry, and the life he felt pulsing through her. He pulled her close, willing to taste the life she could give him. And then, something happened that made him freeze.

"I love you," she whispered softly. "And you don't have to say anything back. That's just how I feel."

She held him tightly, seeming to need him to stand herself up. She seemed to radiate strength whenever he saw her; but now, he felt how fragile she really was. He bent his head and kissed her on the neck, feeling life pulse from her. And then, his true nature took over. The fangs that he kept retracted bore from his mouth, and the luminescent hunger in his eyes was shown. Serenity felt his fangs graze her neck, but at that moment, she didn't care. She tightened her arms around him, the afternoon light setting into the gloominess of night.

"It's okay, go ahead." She was willing to give her life up, to immortality or to death, for him. His eyes widened. He opened his mouth. And, at the very moment where he felt his fangs about to sink into the sweet flesh of her neck, he took her wrist he was holding and bit that instead. All was silent as he pulled back. Her wrist, with two punctured holes serving as the source, gushed blood. It flowed down her arm, coming to fall into a puddle on the floor.

"You'll be fine," he told her quickly, still holding her against him. "I didn't bite your neck, so nothing's happened to you. You might lose consciousness for a while though." As soon as Kaiba completed his sentence, he felt Serenity slump against his body. She was unconscious. He scooped her into his arms, not even questioning why it seemed so easy to him. He placed her on his bed, covering her with his coat.

_Why couldn't I do it? _He didn't know why, but when he looked at her again, all his thoughts seemed to slip away.

She was paler than usual; the shock from his bite may have brought that on. He took her wrist and wiped it with his shirt. The stain showed vibrant. She seemed so tortured in her sleep, and he could barely watch. He cradled her in his arms, careful not to wake her. He breathed in the scent of her hair, jasmine and roses filling in his senses.

"I'm sorry," he told her softly. He honestly didn't know if he was sorry for himself or her. Sorry for the fact that he had drug her into his dark life, sorry that she had fallen in love with him, or sorry that he didn't know how he felt towards her anymore. He lay her back down, lying beside her. He held her close, wanting to shield her from the world. She and him seemed to share a world all their own, and he was so wrapped up in it that he didn't notice that Shiori stood in the doorway, watching everything, her fury seething.


	6. Dark Promises

Serenity woke to look directly into the face of the sleeping Kaiba. She recalled the events, and everything ended with a huge black out.

_I must have fainted. _

She lifted her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. He did not stir. His face seemed so peaceful when he was sleeping; she wished she could look at it forever. She glanced over his shoulder at the digital clock in the darkness. 11:00 shown back at her in glowing numbers.

_My brother's gonna kill me. _

She slowly untangled herself from Kaiba's hold, and pushed herself out of the bed with her hand. She winced in pain, and brought her hand to her eyes. The bite mark still stood there, dry blood caked around it. She cradled her hand, her thoughts streaming through her head.

_My humanity. My life. I almost lost it tonight… _

If he had bit her neck, she would share the eternal sadness that came with his power and bloodlust. She would be a vampire. But he didn't turn her, and she didn't even know why. She looked back at him once more before walking silently out the door. He slept soundly. The mansion was lit by firelight, an eerie setting.

_Perfect for vampires. _

She kept any other thoughts out of her head before she crept silently down the stairs, not noticing the cold green eyes of Shiori watching her from a distance. And behind Shiori stood her lover for the night, buttoning his shirt. But he was no Seto Kaiba, so she really could care less. But, what made the man behind her useful to her was that he was part of the enemy's clan. Of Marik's clan.

_And wouldn't Marik love to know about Serenity Wheeler, _Shiori thought, all the fury from earlier that night returning to her. How Kaiba had acted, so gentle, almost as if…

She shook the thought from her head immediately, because her thoughts were just impossible. She felt the figure behind her rise.

"Wait," she said to him, putting her hand on her shoulder to stop him. "I have a message that Marik would love to hear."

-

-

-

Serenity realized that she was walking without shoes when she was five blocks away from the mansion. She also realized she was still wearing the red halter dress and had left her clothes. After that, she realized she had about an hour's walk ahead of her, so she decided to walk barefoot. The night seemed to caress her, and she loved the breeze that flew over her. Her wrist seemed to throb with every step she took, but that didn't stop her from smiling. Even if Kaiba didn't feel the way she felt about him, she was glad she had said something. It seemed to make her breathe a sigh of relief, if only mentally. She passed the park and walked the path, deciding the grass would be easier on her feet.

The trees blocked out the moon, and total darkness surrounded her. She didn't feel safe anymore, and her fear increased as she felt the temperature drop.

"What's the matter little girl?" a cold voice from behind her said. "Are you afraid to be alone at night?" A hand was suddenly on her shoulder, forcing her to turn. She looked into the icy glare of a tan figure. He stood tall before her, strength and power radiating from him.

"Wh-wh-wh who are you?" she asked, afraid and willing to hear the answer.

"My name is Marik," the person said, sending chills down her spine. He smirked at her obvious fear, letting his hand run from her shoulder into the top of her dress. He grabbed her breast, sending a small gasp of protest flying from her mouth. His smirk faded and he slapped her across the face, sending her to the ground.

"What? I'm not good enough for Kaiba's whore?" He grabbed her by the arms, picked her up again and pressed her to him, letting himself enjoy the closeness of her body. His smirk returned.

"They weren't kidding," he said into her hair, "You are very pretty. Your skin is soft too. I'm glad I came myself." Serenity tried to push him away, feeling sickened by the closeness of the stranger. His grip was as hard as steel, keeping her in her place.

"I don't think so little girl," he said, feeling her stiffen as he addressed her.

"I'll scream," she said to him, feeling the chuckle well in his throat before it came.

"And die in an instant? I think you value your life more than that." He was right of course. His hand slipped under the top of her dress again, and she took his violation of her body, trying her hardest not to scream in disgust.

"Your heart is beating very fast, did you know that?" he asked her, sarcasm in his voice. "Must be nice to have a heart. Is your heart beating because you're scared, or is it because you're enjoying your time with me?"

"Like hell," she whispered back, anger lacing her words. He looked at her in mild surprise.

"You intrigue me. No wonder Kaiba likes you so much. Your body and your personality make one hell of a person. I'm surprised he didn't turn you yet though." Marik looked directly into her eyes, seeing defiance and anger there. All fear was gone, and that made it all the more enjoyable.

"Did you know that when a vampire makes love to a human, he bites her on her wrist and sucks the blood? It makes their vision go hazy, it makes them helpless, and then they don't even realize what's happening to them. They're helpless dolls to be used however way is desired. No love is ever felt." He took Serenity's wrist and held it in front of him. She looked at it herself, wondering why Kaiba didn't suck her blood when he bit her earlier. She would have been at his mercy, but he had taken such good care of her.

"I see Kaiba didn't finish the job, but I'll be happy to finish it for him." With a single movement, he bit into her wrist, sucking in the blood that flowed through her veins. The pain was enormous.

-

_She's so sweet, _Marik thought as he finished his duty. _"I want her." _

-

Serenity seemed to stand in shock as he gently gave her wrist back to her. And the shock gave way to hazy vision, as the world around her seemed to close in. He smirked at her again; his eyes held even more interest.

"You're innocent. I'm surprised you're still a virgin, you being Kaiba's whore. Well, you're going to find out what it's like to be with a man little one." His eyes suddenly filled with lust.

"You're mine," she heard Marik whisper, and then he violently pressed his lips to hers. His kiss was rough, nothing but lust driving it. She felt no gentle ferocity, and he deepened the one sided kiss further and further. He forced her mouth open with his tongue, exploring. She wanted to fight him, but her body wouldn't co-operate with her. She was his puppet, his to control. He brought her to her knees, violently forcing her to lie back on the grass. His kisses trailed from her mouth down to her cheek and under. His hands ran over her body, and as much as she tried, her body wouldn't move.

_Kaiba's the only one I want touching me like this. _

The thought came so suddenly into her head, and she felt silent tears streaming down her face. No sobs wracked her voice, but the tears wouldn't stop. Marik noticed and looked up. Her suffering heightened his anticipation, and he took a knife out of his pocket.

_Is he going to kill me?_

Marik seemed to read her mind, for the next second, his face drew closer to hers.

"I wouldn't kill you, yet," he told her, mocking her. "But I don't feel like asking you to undress, so I'll do it myself." He took the blade and cut the straps of her dress, ignoring her tears that came on even heavier. The blade grazed her skin, and he licked the blood away, causing her to cringe. And as he was about to expose her private skin, he felt something hard hit him on the back.

-

-

-

Serenity heard it too, the loud sound that shattered her nightmare world. She felt Marik lift his weight off of her, and then she heard his menacing voice as he stood up.

"That was a cheap trick Kaiba, attacking me from behind. And with a dirty beer bottle, of all things."

_Kaiba? _

Serenity looked up, only to find that the vampire king stood before her, his blue eyes seething with fury. He gave Marik a sarcastic smirk.

"What can I say, it was the only thing I could find at the moment." His face hardened again, you could feel the anger coming from him.

"And you don't call almost raping a defenseless girl a cheap trick?"

-

-

-

Kaiba could barely look at Serenity. Marik's harsh grip had caused bruises and cuts to form all over her body. Her dress was wrinkled, the straps cut and falling downward, blood flowing from where the blade nicked her. Her eyes had a vacant look, and his gaze flew to her wrist. Blood flowed from it freely, like a failed suicide attempt.

"The bite of seduction, huh?" Kaiba asked Marik, a cold smirk of anger coming to his face. "Is that the only way that you can get girls into bed with you?" Marik was miffed by his comment, but recovered quickly.

"Ah Kaiba, even though I hate your very existence, I commend you on your taste. This woman is very unique indeed, not to mention…" he took the blade and liked Serenity's blood off of it, "she tastes very good." Kaiba let out a grunt of anger, his eyes showing more ferocity than they had before.

"I'm going to kill you," Kaiba said in an icy cold whisper.

"You've been saying that to me for the past few centuries Kaiba, as I have to you. Yet, we seem to have gotten nowhere." Marik smirked; he knew he was playing on Kaiba's nerves. He nodded towards Serenity.

"This woman, I'll be honest, holds my interest. How about I finish with her, and then we'll talk." Kaiba stepped forward and slugged Marik in the stomach, causing him to cough up blood. Marik hunched over, but smirked despite the situation.

"Go to hell," Kaiba told him, pulling his fist away. Marik straightened, laughing a bit.

"I've been there, so I think I'll decline the offer. I should've seen that coming." Marik said, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Shame on me." Kaiba expected Marik to strike back, but instead, his enemy walked over to Serenity, pulling her into his arms. Kaiba started to move, but then Marik pulled out his blade.

"Don't even think about it." Serenity still couldn't move, but the look in her eyes said it all: Please help me. Marik put his hands down the front of Serenity's dress again, causing Kaiba to twitch. He kissed the side of her neck, trying to be gentle but not succeeding. Suddenly, Serenity spoke.

"Let me go," she said, her voice barely audible. "Please, just let me go." Her voice sounded so pitiful; if Kaiba had a heart, it would have broken for her by now. He couldn't take it anymore. Quick as wind, he flew toward them. He punched Marik hard, sending him flying to the ground. Serenity collapsed onto Kaiba, letting him pull her in. Marik stood up, his expression of shock, then of delight.

"Oh, this makes it all the more fun. Are you in love with this little girl Kaiba?"

-

-

-

Serenity felt Kaiba's body stiffen at Mairk's question. He didn't answer right away.

"Well? I believe I asked you a question."

"And normally, I would answer it. But since it's you, I don't feel the need," Kaiba said with a sneer. Serenity felt relief for being safe, but despite the situation, wondered how he would've answered Marik. She found she could move again and immediately put her hand to his chest, trying to steady herself.

"All she is to you is a one night stand, so I don't understand why you didn't turn her yet. Don't you usually do that?" Marik looked Serenity over; she felt the need to hug herself, even him looking at her made her feel violated. Then, he held up his hands, in what seemed to be a gesture of surrender.

"I apologize. How could I think that you, Seto Kaiba, heartless bastard, could ever love?" Kaiba smirked.

"You think you've got me all figured out, don't you?" Kaiba asked, his grip on Serenity tightening. Marik looked him directly in the eye, his playful manner gone.

"You know that I hate you. And how much more could I show it than taking your woman. I'll take her Kaiba, when you least expect it. And when I do, I'll turn her myself. She'll be mine, and you'll know that for the rest of your God forsaken life." His smirk returned, and evil aura coming from him. It was both a threat and promise, and Kaiba knew to take Marik seriously. Marik turned to leave, his body dissolving in the shadows. Before he disappeared completely, he took one last look at Serenity.

"I look forward to seeing you again little one. And I will see you; you can count on that." Serenity shuddered as he left, the darkness taking him back to wherever he had come from.


	7. Passion and Nightmares

He was gone. He disappeared. Her nightmare was over. All these thoughts registered in Serenity's head. Yet, she couldn't stop shaking. Kaiba felt the trembling figure against him, and did the only thing he could think to do. He tightened his hold around her, willing her to relax. She didn't. He knew he couldn't understand completely what she had gone through, but he just wanted to make her feel alright. He knew she was in no condition to walk. She wasn't too weak, but the shock had frozen her to where she stood. He put his face close to her ear, trying not to cringe as she flinched from the sudden closeness.

"I'm taking you back to my place tonight, okay?" he told her, and he watched her nod. He seemed to snap her out of her nightmare world as he spoke, his words trying to ease her pain away. She moved to pull away, but couldn't.

"I-I don't think I can move," she whispered into his chest, her eyes brimming with tears. He held her at arms length, examining her. She was bruised and cut, but her face held nothing. It was scratch free, but there was more pain there than anywhere else on her body. Her eyes held so much fear, it was unimaginable. Tears were welling, and he knew that he couldn't bear to see her cry. He picked her up in his arms, wincing a bit when her arms encircled his neck.

_She's so cold. _

He then dissolved into the darkness that surrounded them, willing it to take him back to his home. Serenity passed out, her head leaning slightly against his shoulder, her breathing coming in short gasps. He thought about when he woke up not to find her by his side. He knew that she went home; he knew that she wasn't his concern anymore. But something had told him to go see her again, and he never ignored his instincts. He walked after her, ignoring Shiori when he saw her in the hall. Ignoring Bakura's drunken laughter coming from down the hall, and ignoring Zakura and Mokuba's looks at him as he walked by the reading room. When he found her, he saw his worst nightmare. He didn't realize how she was creeping into his mind, staying with him even when she wasn't there physically.

-

-

-

Kaiba came into the quiet of his home, the silence seeming to loom over him. He closed the door to his bedroom behind him. He was about to lay her down on the bed when she awoke, staring at him. Her eyes held his gaze with hers, a temptress in disguise. He felt her push herself onto the bed, and just as he was about to let her go, he felt her pull him down with her. He lay on top of her, not yet meeting her gaze. He heard her breathing in shallow gasps, her body heating up. Her arms held him as best they could, and he felt a slight tremor in them. He turned his head and looked at her, his eyes showing the desire he kept pent within. She looked at him, her eyes full of more emotions he couldn't read. She closed her eyes again, breathing in slowly, and pulled herself closer to him.

"Take me tonight," she said against his ear, feeling the desire in her body come to her. She seemed to force it this time, instead trying to cover up her memories and her feelings about what had happened just an hour earlier with her passion for Kaiba. She felt his body stiffen with her words, but then she felt his nod. She should've known if she gave the invitation to him, he'd take it. But she didn't care what happened to her anymore, her body was just a tool, right?

-

-

-

Kaiba heard her, and mentally checked himself to make sure he heard her right. He wasn't going to tell her no, because this would mean the end of all the agonizing about her. He nibbled at her neck, causing her to shiver with pleasure. Her hands reached up to unbutton his shirt, and with each button their desire grew. His shirt fell to the floor, and his bare chest shown above her. She drank in the sight of him, and more thoughts came to her head. He held her hand; but the grip he had, though it was meant to be comforting, was tight. It reminded her of another grip, the steel grip that held her in place earlier that night. She shook the thought out of her head, trying to forget. Kaiba reached his head down and kissed her on the lips, ferocity and lust being shown with it. She returned it, letting the feelings she had for him show. The kiss was so right, but all that came to her head was the forced kisses and the violation of her spirit through them. She shook another unwelcome thought away from her head, willing for them to go away. He brought his hand to the broken straps of her dress, pulling them down to reveal her breasts. But he wasn't taking in the beauty of her womanhood, she knew. His hand gently caressed the bruises, and his eyes shone pity on her. She looked away from him and grabbed his hand, pressing it to her heart.

"Don't," was all she said. He didn't make any indication to show that she heard him, but she knew that they had made a silent agreement. His vampire's lust was coming to him, and soon, he knew that he would loose himself in her. His hands came down her body, tracing it with more force now. His hand slipped up her dress, caressing her legs. She flinched, remembering Marik's hands coming wherever they were unwanted. He seemed to sense her discomfort and pulled back, but not before pulling her dress down to her ankles. She reached up and undid the belt he was wearing, throwing it to the floor. He gave into his vampire nature, letting himself get lost in her innocence. He kissed her ferociously, his kisses trailing from her lips to her cheek to her neck. His kisses trailed to her collar bone, and then to the bruises. He seemed to want to kiss her pain away, but his hand lingered near the bottom half of her body, ready to take away the piece of cloth that was between him and her naked body. He didn't take her yet, but just teased her with continued kisses. But Serenity, as much as she tried to loose herself in the soon-to-be-sex, couldn't accept it. She was losing herself too, but to her own memories. Even her feelings for Kaiba weren't enough to cover the experience she had felt earlier. The fear, the pain, the disgust, even the slight pleasure she may have felt; not because she felt anything for Marik, but because he was an attractive creature of the night and she was but a mortal woman. Her own world of pain was pulling her back in, and as much as she tried to fight, she couldn't escape its grasp.

"You're mine." Those words Kaiba spoke snapped Serenity out of her world. Fear pulsed through her as she tried to remember where she had heard those words before. Then, it hit her.

_You're mine," she heard Marik whisper, and then he violently pressed his lips to hers. His kiss was rough, nothing but lust driving it. She felt no gentle ferocity, and he deepened the one sided kiss further and further. He forced her mouth open with his tongue, exploring. She wanted to fight him, but her body wouldn't co-operate with her. She was his puppet, his to control. He brought her to her knees, violently forcing her to lie back on the grass. His kisses trailed from her mouth down to her cheek and under. His hands ran over her body, and as much as she tried, her body wouldn't move. _

Just like then, her body wouldn't move now. She willed her head to turn to face Kaiba, to take comfort in the depths of his blue eyes. But her nightmare world had dragged her too far now, and her memories were playing like a film without sound before her. Instead of seeing Kaiba's blue eyes, she saw Marik's cold ones staring back at her. She felt Kaiba's body come down upon her, almost ready to pull them together completely. But, to her, it wasn't him anymore. It was the monster in human form. It was Marik.

"No, please. No, no, no, NO! DON'T TOUCH ME!"

-

-

-

Kaiba's world of vampire lust was broken as he heard Serenity's pleading screams.

"No, please. No, no, no, NO! DON'T TOUCH ME!"

He pulled back immediately as she pushed him off of the bed and sat up. He stood there in his jeans, and looked at her. She sat in her underwear, hugging herself, tears running down her face. She was staring at him, her eyes blank. A fragile creature with a beautiful body and a broken spirit.

"Please...don't touch me. Just leave me alone…please don't hurt me." She droned on in a small voice, like a broken toy.

"What are you talking about?" he asked her, but she didn't seem to hear him. She was far away, reliving her nightmare over and over.

"I don't like this. I don't want to die. Please don't kill me. Just let me go. Please don't rape me…"

_Rape! _

Kaiba knew immediately what had happened. In controlling Serenity, Marik had left his essence inside of her for the night. He had left her unable to stop reliving the memories of her and him, just for his own sick pleasure. He moved to her quickly, pressing his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. He held her wrists tightly in his hands, and he felt her struggle. But he didn't care, he had to get through to her. Soon, the struggling ceased, and he pulled his lips away from hers. She opened her eyes, and he saw the life in her again. The blank look was gone. He had broken through Marik's barrier, and he was looking at the real Serenity again. She stared back at him, the tears still coming. He got up and went to his closet. He found one of his T-shirts and threw it to her, waiting till her heard her slide it over her head to look again. Instead, her footsteps padded up behind him, her hand touching his back.

"If you want…" she didn't need to say more, he knew what she was suggesting.

"Not tonight," he told her. "Just put that shirt on, because I don't think I can look at your body with all those, those… What that bastard did to you, I just can't handle it right now."

His words hurt her, but she knew why he had to say them. She slid the shirt over her head, and then leaned against his back, her hands on his shoulders. He put his hand over hers, not holding it, but not pushing it away either. He turned to face her. His shirt reached down to the middle of her thighs, the sheer material showing her body through it. He led her to the bed and pushed her down slightly. She relaxed onto a pillow and wrapped herself with the blanket. He lied beside her, not getting under the covers. He didn't feel the cold she was feeling, but he didn't wish to share in her warmth, because her warmth gave his body something he couldn't handle right now. He turned on his side and stared at her. She stared back at him and watched his arms reach up to encircle her. She wished with her whole being to be held by him, but she couldn't help but flinch at his touch. He clenched his fist and pulled his arms back.

_Dammit, I can't even hold her. _

"Are you scared for me?" she asked him, looking directly into his eyes. He couldn't answer her, but he managed to shrug. He watched her fall into an uncomfortable sleep plagued by nightmares, but he was sure that to hold her would only bring more pain. About an hour later, he sat up a little, putting his head against the head board and he pulled her closer to him again. She flinched, but this time he didn't let go.

"Yes, I'm scared for you," he said into her hair. "But I'm also scared of you."

-

"You can never fear for yourself if you are the one who will always be feared." Kaiba knew these words well enough. It was something he lived his eternal life by, and something he enforced in the minds of his clan. It was something that he was sure would always stand clear and focused in his mind.

Until he met her.

She did not fear him. And what she was doing to him scared him. His body was something that no one could touch, he was too fast, too strong. But she had caught up with him somehow, causing more chaotic emotions to arise in him every time he saw her. His lust for her was driving him insane. No woman had held his interest, made him thirsty for so long, and not been his yet. His mind was a steel fortress, knocking down intruders. She had gotten through to him, never leaving his mind, even when she had actually left him. He thought of her innocence, he thought of her smile, most of all, he thought of her body. But that didn't matter, because above anything, he was thinking about her. What she was doing to him was something that he had never experienced. Another side of him, one he didn't know existed, was emerging. She opened up something that he thought he had lost long ago. He looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. It all became a little too much, so he placed her back into her original sleeping position. He layed back as the stream of emotion became too much for him, resting his hands on his chest. As he began to sleep, a pounding sound shattered the silence. He sat upright, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps. That sound, he was sure it didn't exist within him. And yet…

He heard it again, louder and more clearly. His eyes widened as he slowly placed a hand over his heart. A heart that was supposed to have died with his humanity centuries ago. Beneath his fingers, faint but sure, a heart was slowly beating.


	8. True Nature

Serenity awoke to a sunny day. Her nightmares were gone, and she knew she had gotten over what had happened. She lay in bed, very still, and reached over. Kaiba was gone, but his spot on the bed was still warm. He had left her only minutes earlier, she was sure of it. She sat up and stretched, enjoying the light that was spreading over her from the windows and ignoring the ache of missing him. She looked over at the side table and found a note. It read:

Don't step out of this house at all today.

School is taken care of, and I'll see you in a few hours.

-S.K.

Serenity hugged the note to her chest. She knew he couldn't be with her, between being the C.E.O. of a company and being a teacher, but the note was the little piece of him that she would keep with her for the time being.

"Are you up Ms. Wheeler?" a voice said from behind her. Serenity turned to find a petite woman with crimson hair falling to the small of her back. Her eyes were violet, and they held sincerity. She wore a made outfit, but had a pouch attached. Even though she looked harmless, Serenity shrunk away. She knew that looks could be deceiving. She felt a warm hand cover hers.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Even if I wanted to, Master has ordered everyone in the clan not to touch you. You can trust me Ms. Wheeler." Serenity looked up at the woman and smiled.

"My name is Zakura, but you don't need to tell me yours." She handed Serenity a tray with a cup of tea, a bottle of water, and a piece of toast on it.

"Forgive us for not having much food, but, as you know, we don't have much need of it." Serenity smiled and took the food graciously. She ate slowly, enjoying Zakura's silent but comforting company. When she finished, she pushed the tray aside and looked up. Zakura's eyes were on Serenity's wrist. As Zakura slowly picked it up with her hands, Serenity let out a small gasp of pain. Marik's wound was still fresh, dried blood around it. Serenity couldn't look at it, but she knew she had to. Zakura took a cloth from her pouch and poured some water on it. She cleaned the wound carefully, then pulled a bandage out of her pouch and wrapped it.

"Thank you," Serenity said in a small voice.

"If that's all you need of me, I'll be going," Zakura turned to leave, but Serenity reached out and held her hand firmly with hers.

"Please tell me who that man was." Serenity silently begged. "And don't lie and tell me you don't know what I'm talking about; because I know you do." Zakura's eyes held the question should-I-or-shouldn't-I? After five minutes of thinking, Zakura sighed and sat down next to her.

"His name was Marik, and he leads another clan. His clan is the enemy of ours." Zakura's eyes held sadness as she took Serenity's hand in hers. "There is basically an all out war between us and them. When we meet, there is only one rule. 'Kill, be killed, or pray that you can get away.'" Serenity squeezed Zakura's hand out of sympathy, but didn't feel a squeeze back. Zakura wouldn't meet Serenity's eyes.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Serenity asked, knowing the answer before Zakura opened her mouth.

"You are caught up in this war now. The master wants you, so Marik wants you. The kings of vampires. Just be careful, because you are in danger." The bluntness of her statement made Serenity appreciate the honesty,

"I'll be careful of Marik," Serenity promised, causing Zakura to look directly into her eyes.

"Not just of Marik," Zakura said under her breath, and then she turned to leave.

"Zakura," Serenity called out to her, "One more thing." Zakura turned to look at her.

"Please, just call me Serenity." Zakura smiled, nodded, and walked out the door. It was then that Serenity noticed a pile of clothes sitting on her bedside.

"I didn't see those earlier," Serenity mumbled to herself, holding them up to examine them. She could tell vampires left nothing to the imagination with their clothing, for she held a skin tight black mini skirt and a black vest that tied up the middle, leaving her bust line for many men to see. She put the clothes aside; she'd get dressed later. She took a handful of her shirt and held it to her face, breathing in Kaiba's scent. She wanted him with her right now, but couldn't think of anything that could back up her needs. She reluctantly pulled his shirt off and got dressed, loving how the clothes seemed to fit her just right despite being someone else's. She wandered around Kaiba's room. There wasn't very much to see. He had a laptop on a desk in the corner, a huge bed, a TV, a book shelf, a closet, and a mirror. It was practically empty for such a large room. And the emptiness around her made her feel like she was the last person on earth. She willed for Kaiba's warmth, to be in the embrace of the man she loved. But also the embrace of a man who couldn't love her back. She sighed, and sat back on the bed, hugging herself tightly. She wanted him with her right now. She'd give herself to him in a heart beat, just so she could keep him with her longer. Serenity put her hand over her heart. It was beating rapidly.

_How desperate for him have I become?_

-

-

-

Kaiba sat in his office, working furiously on the computer. He put his hand over his heart again, like he'd been doing for the past few hours. The heartbeat was gone, he hadn't heard it since. Kaiba prayed for it to be a mistake, but he knew that what he had felt earlier was real. He had a heart, if not only for a few minutes. His thoughts returned back to Serenity and the night before. It was always her he seemed to be thinking about lately. Her body was in his thoughts, causing heat to rise within him. The tension broke as he heard his secretary call him on the intercom.

"What?" he asked, his annoyance coming back to him.

"Marik is here to see you," a petrified voice came through the speaker. Kaiba smirked; the poor woman was probably shaking under Marik's cold stare.

"Send him in," Kaiba said, pulling a bottle of wine and two glasses from under his desk. Marik's presence filled the room, the air dropping to a chill. He sat opposite Kaiba, the usual Marik smirk coming to him. Kaiba poured wine into both glasses, and then rose the glass to his lips.

"Vampires seem to have a fetish for blood and wine, don't they?" Marik asked, taking in the mixture.

"What do you expect?" Kaiba asked in a sarcastic voice. Marik smirked and downed the rest of his wine. He gripped the glass and broke it in two, not caring how the shards stuck in his skin. He licked the blood trickling down his hand, then made a face of disgust.

"Do you taste that awful?" Kaiba asked. Marik shook his head.

"No, I just imagined what you would taste like, that's enough to make me sick." Kaiba put his glass down and leaned forward.

"Why are you wasting my time?" he asked, menace coming to his voice. Marik smirked and leaned forward also, going slow just to see if he could anger Kaiba a little more.

"Never let people have their fun, do you?" Marik asked. "Well, if you want the point here it is. I just want to tell you I know what you want her for." Kaiba's eye twitched, a sure sign that he had caught on to what Marik was talking about. Serenity.

"I wish I knew what you were talking about," Kaiba said, relaxing a bit.

"Not only does she taste great, probably be awesome in bed too. But that's not all, is it?" Marik leaned forward some more, enjoying the air of tension surrounding them.

"Do you think she can break the curse and give you back your humanity Kaiba?" Kaiba straightened immediately, the blood rushing to his head. Marik smirked.

"Don't think I haven't noticed. She gave me that feeling too. She has the type of purity that can work wonders, but I thought I'd inform you of one little thing…" Marik leaned in closer, him and Kaiba face to face. "You call me a sick bastard who has no heart, but what does that make you? You're no better than I am Kaiba. How many people have you killed? How many pleas of mercy have you ignored? How many women have you brought to bed with you, and how many of them survived to tell the tale? How many times have you lavished in the power that comes with being a vampire?" Kaiba's eyes hardened, which widened Marik's smirk. He had trapped him in his own web of lies.

"Do you think your whore is going to be able to stand by your side through the nights you dream of the murders you've committed? If you've forgotten, I was by your side for half of those murders Kaiba. They were heartless, and you'd go out of your way to make what seemed like a quick death painful and full of suffering for someone We were on the same side once, if you've forgotten." Marik relaxed into his seat, while Kaiba still sat tense in his.

"And here's something else. Anyone can tell that girl's in love with you. I honestly don't know why, but she is. She'd let you fuck her every night if that's what you wanted. But, for some reason, you're not done with her yet. It's been a month almost, hasn't it?" Kaiba stiffened once again, knowing everything Marik was saying to him was full of truth. Marik leaned in, as if another thought had come to his mind. As if Kaiba was one of his best friends, and they were aloud to share secrets.

"I thought you'd use that girl for your kill, but I'm surprised you haven't. Tell me Kaiba, what happened to the other secretary that used to work for you? I've heard that no one's seen her since about, oh, four days ago."

Kaiba lost all the resolve he had to keep a blank face, and he let his shock come through. Marik smirked.

"I hope she tasted as good as she looked, always parading around in those short skirts."

"How did you…"

"I thought I'd made it clear. The quickest way to get to you is to get to that girl. And then, I had an idea. What better way to get her to hate you, than to show her the monster that you really are? If she saw the way you devoured your secretary, she'd run the other way." With those words, Marik got up and turned to leave. He shot one last glance at Kaiba before he stepped through the doorway.

"Do you really want her to know the real you?"

And he was gone.

-

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-

Kaiba got home when the sun was starting to set. He had made sure that Serenity's family wasn't out of their mind with worry. It wasn't that hard since her mother was dead and her father lived in a rehab clinic about one thousand miles away. His sentence was too long to worry about him getting out and trying to reclaim his daughter. As for the mutt… Well, last night he had lost his virginity to a certain "Valentine," and he wouldn't be out of his own happy world for another two or three days. Kaiba smirked to himself, wondering if the mutt was happy because he had been in bed with the one he loved, or that he had finally lost his virginity. His house was quiet as he entered, and he saw Bakura sitting in the den. He sat in the chair opposite his friend, who watched him with an amused glare.

"I smelled blood on you a few days ago, but I never asked about it," Bakura told him, a menacing grin coming to his face. "I see you've made your kill for the month. Tell me everything. Did you enjoy it?" Kaiba sat back, his face blank. But inside of him, his emotions were running hectic. Did he enjoy it? He remembered everything so clearly, and he didn't even remember her name. Her death, however, was another story. He was the first one to work, finding his secretary finishing up her midnight shift. She was a busty, petite woman with beautiful eyes and a beautiful mouth. Her hair was a pale blonde, her eyes honey like. She wasn't as beautiful as Serenity, not even as Shiori, but she would do. She seemed like a sweet person, but he could tell she was lust hungry. He brought her to the staff café so they could eat, and he got her under his charm, watching as she slowly, unknowingly, fell under his spell. Before they said good-bye, he kissed her long and slow, drawing out her hunger for him. He brought her back to his office. He backed her into a corner, and as he was about to unbutton her shirt, he felt it. The rush that came to him when he was about to kill. The adrenaline, the feeling, and all at once, he changed. His eyes took on their luminescent quality. He pinned her to the wall, and when she saw his eyes, fear came to hers. His fangs bore and he bit into the soft flesh of her neck, just as she was about to scream. He stopped her before it left her throat, and he sucked in her sweetness. She fell to the ground almost instantly after that, which caused the blood to tear from her throat, splattering him across the face. He didn't bother to wipe it, because he had felt the satisfaction to his blood lust, a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time. He looked down at his hands, which had blood running down them.

_I must have gripped her arms too tight, _he had thought.

He felt amazing, more than amazing, but then he looked down at the woman. She was still alive, though barely. Her eyes looked lifeless, and her body seemed to be wasting away before his sight. Before she disappeared into a pile of ashes, no life left to speak of, a thought suddenly came to him. The look in her eyes, as if her life wasn't worth living anymore…He had seen it before. Serenity had that look the night that Marik attacked her, the look of absolute hopelessness. He saw himself in the window's reflection; he looked like a monster. His face was blood stained, so was his shirt. His hands were stained as well, and he still had that sadistic grin on his face. His eyes were so bright, the exact opposite of his personality. He shrunk to his knees, as his grin was replaced with a look of horror. It was his nature to do this. He was not supposed to care. He was not supposed to feel regret. But, he wasn't, in a way. He felt no regret toward trying to survive, but instead, he felt as if he saw Serenity in the face of the nameless girl. He hadn't even bothered to make her pass out, so she could avoid the pain. He felt as if he had stooped to Marik's level, and that was beyond shame. He had walked to the bathroom, rinsing the blood off of himself, but he still felt that it was there, showing him who he really was.

-

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Yea," Kaiba said, making a point of seeming tired as he rose to leave. His lie was burning him on the inside. "I enjoyed it."

-

-

-

Serenity looked up from the book she was reading the minute she heard the bedroom door open. Kaiba stood in the doorway, taking in her appearance. She was wearing the same outfit from earlier, but her hair was done in a seductive way. So was her make-up. She had wanted to look like she fit in with the women of his clan, already getting tired of them staring at her plainness. Since she was bored, she and Zakura had given herself a little make over. The makeover went to waste though, as she had stayed in Kaiba's room all day, reading one of the many books on his shelf. But she felt what she must've truly looked like through his eyes, for she was fully aware of how he looked at her. With hunger.

She got up and went to him, her feet padding gently on the carpet. He looked exhausted and hurt, but she didn't know why. She put her arms around his neck, pressing herself to him in a hug.

"What's wrong?" she asked him, breathing in. She caught the smell of something faint, but did not recognize it. She felt his arms encircle her waist, and, like so many times before, her thoughts went away.

"Nothing," he answered back, trailing kisses down her throat. She sighed and her mouth found his. She left a gentle kiss on his lips and then, suddenly he pulled back. She looked up at him, wondering why he had stopped.

"Zakura has prepared a room for you; it's the one next to mine. She has lent you some clothes and, that should keep you well supplied for the next few days." She felt as if she had gotten slugged in the stomach. She knew she'd have to leave, but she also knew that she didn't want to. She stepped forward, her hand reaching up to him, but he batted it away. She felt as if he had just slapped her in the face. Last night he wanted her, but now?

"You are still not to leave the mansion. Your family's taken care of, and I'll bring home your school work. You can go now." And he turned away from her. As she was about to open the door, he stopped her once again.

"Wheeler?" he asked, catching her off guard.

"What?" she said, not bothering to turn around.

"The other night, when you told me...When you said that you loved me…." He turned to her, making his eyes hard. "Just…Don't ever say it again."

Serenity felt as if her world was going to shatter, but she kept it together.

"A favor for a favor then," she said, keeping her voice from shaking. "Will you do something for me?" He only nodded, not bothering to meet her eye.

"Don't call me Wheeler anymore, okay? Just call me Serenity." With those words, she left. He heard her go into the room next to his, heard her get into bed. And he also heard her cries. And without warning, he tuned them out, knowing that if he listened anymore, he would cry too.


	9. Inner Workings

WARNING- I just realized my story is going to a dark place so I am OFFICIALLY enforcing the rating. Of course, the main characters will not die (though there will be a lot of drama, angst, and all that stuff! Gomen in advance - -; sweat drops )

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Kaiba's sleep was plagued with nightmares. Marik's words seemed to stir up memories that he thought he had long since buried. He saw eyes full of tears, and heard people beg for their lives. He saw himself with a malicious gleam in his eyes, before he killed a nameless person. He saw everything he did in the past, and instead of looking at it with pride, he felt as if his stomach would retch all its contents. He woke suddenly, his dream still plaguing his thoughts. Sweat trickled down his forehead as the morning sun rose. The light streamed through his windows and illuminated his skin. He looked over to make sure he didn't wake Serenity, but then suddenly remembered that she wasn't there anymore. He put his hands over his chest again, but he felt no warmth of a heart beat. That made him more confident in himself, and he was glad for it. He didn't want to feel feelings of vulnerability anymore, not with Marik slithering around like a snake, watching his every move. He took a shower to wake himself up. Most people took cold showers in the morning to wake themselves up, but Kaiba took burning hot ones, hoping they would wash away the nights of sweat and nightmares. It never worked, and though his skin didn't show it, he had burned himself over and over in the effort. Getting dressed was no problem for him; he dressed in his traditional trench coat and brushed his hair back. When he got to the door, he felt something telling him not to open it. Though he usually trusted his instincts, he didn't think anything bad would happen to him for just opening a door. He opened it to find Serenity standing there, her hand raised about to knock. Her eyes met with his, then slipped to the ground. His eyes traveled her body, like they had so many times before. She wore a lacy red night dress, clinging to her every curve. He knew that vampire women (even though she was not one) always wore revealing outfits, but he didn't expect her to look so beautiful, even thought it was obvious she was uncomfortable and the clothes were not her style. He then realized that they had been staring (or somewhat anyway) at each other for ten minutes, but had not said anything.

"What do you want?" he asked, wishing afterward that his tone wasn't so harsh. Her face showed hurt, and then he realized that he was fighting the urge to hold her close and kiss away her pain.

"I thought I'd get an early start on the class assignment, so I want to know what it is," she lied, knowing that she didn't do a very good job of it. He sighed.

"Today's my last class. I'm tired of being around humans too much; their tainted souls make me sick. Don't worry about it Whee-"

She stopped him by putting a finger to his lips. She was so cold, but he knew he couldn't have expected her to be warm in the outfit she wore.

"What did I tell you last night?" she asked him quietly, her voice, whether it intended to or not, took on an edge of seduction. She stepped closer, moving her hand to his cheek.

"I already told you, just call me Serenity." He turned his head to kiss her palm, trying, but failing, to remove himself from her at that moment. She sighed, but knew she couldn't do this to him. She pulled away, and forced a smile.

"I guess I won't have to worry about it then. Bye," she turned and walked back to her room, and he watched her go.

-

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-

Serenity lied on her bed, listening to the world going by. She wanted to lie there forever, caught in the feelings she was having. Because she was feeling nothing, and to feel nothing meant that she couldn't be hurt. She seemed mature for her age, because her home life had been the farthest from "peaceful and happy" when she was growing up. So she knew that she had to hide her childish needs, making her seem to want nothing to do with her inner child. That was very wrong. All she longed for was to be care free, to feel assured of herself and her place in the world. She knew she wouldn't be able to get that now, and she also knew that, somewhere inside of her, she had accepted that fact. But sometimes all she wanted was to act like a baby, because she used to think that no one in the world would want to hurt a baby. She'd been wrong about that too.

-

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Marik's clan lived in the alley ways and darkness of the city. They were beautiful but deadly creatures, lush but poisonous. They were full of malice and bloodlust, but what held them together was their allegiance and loyalty to their leader. If not for him, the clan would attempt to murder their inner enemies at every moment. Marik lived in the dark, surrounded by his most loyal of followers, so he honestly didn't follow the world around him. All he knew was the changing of the day and night, and the rest he relied on his instincts. Like Kaiba, his instincts were usually on target. And, also like Kaiba, his thoughts were on Serenity lately. His contacts had pulled up files about her, and he now knew more about her then he thought he ever would. Her whole life was an open book to him. She had a poor home life, a drunkard father and a mother who had died of the abuse. Her father was incarcerated, and he wouldn't be out for a while. He'd most likely die in there. Her brother, however, had always looked out for her, and he was one interesting human. He was a normal, care free 21 year old, going to college and playing a surrogate father to his little sister. He had always watched over her, and he had never thought of himself. It was only recently, very recent in fact, that he had began to enjoy life for himself. He had indulged in the love he had for a woman, and he had been in his own world ever since. Marik knew he had to get to the girl, but he also knew Kaiba's defenses were high around her when he wasn't there, and a one on one fight with Kaiba didn't guarantee results in his favor, so he didn't press the matter. He had to get to her through her brother, but he also knew that some people would be watching him as well. It wasn't as if he was important to them, but he was important to Serenity, and that made him their priority. But he was closer than any of them knew. He knew that Kaiba was feeling something he had never felt for anyone else before. Marik smirked.

_To fall in love after over two thousand years of existence, how ironic. _

Footsteps interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up. He smirked again, wider this time.

"Have you ever heard the saying jealousy's a bitch?" he asked the person cloaked in shadow.

"Have you ever heard the saying 'I'm as good as dead if anyone ever finds out I'm the source of your inside information. So your plan better work.'"

Marik chuckled, malicious laughter filling the air.

"Don't worry, but I do feel kind of bad for making you do the dirty work. But I know you're willing to do it. How far will you go? Is your hatred really that deep?"

Shiori stepped out of the shadows, her body dressed to kill in clothes of midnight black. Her green eyes held nothing but hatred.

"You can send me to hell and back, but I'm going to do this."

Marik chuckled and took a picture out of his pocket. He threw it to Shiori, and she caught it with a swipe of her hand.

"You must turn this woman and make her your puppet. Take her humanity and emotion away completely, and then I'll take it from there."

Shiori smirked. "You've got something evil planned, don't you?" Marik pulled out a cigarette and lit it, inhaling and blowing the smoke into the night air.

"I wouldn't call it evil. Maybe," he looked at Shiori, a malicious gleam in his eye, "I'd just call it mischievous."

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Mai Valentine washed the dishes at the bar and served her last drink for the night. As a bartender, she made enough good money to get out of work early sometimes. And she usually welcomed any opportunity to get away, since the only place she could find work was on the bad part of town. Being a high school dropout didn't guarantee you much, and Mai knew that even though she was good at her job, the only reason they kept her around was because she was a young body to amuse old lecherous men. She closed her locker in the back room and walked into the midnight air. Though her job paid well enough, it wasn't enough to afford a car, or even fair for the train or a taxi every night.

_Well, gotta keep my womanly figure somehow. _

Even though life had managed to look like it was evil to Mai, she honestly couldn't have asked for anything better. She had cleaned up her act, gotten a job, and fallen in love. She didn't care that he was a little younger, for he understood her better than anyone she had ever met. He treated her well, treated her both delicately, but with passion, both in body and mind. Mai sighed to herself, she honestly couldn't have been happier. She felt something rustle behind her and stopped, reaching for the blade she kept in her boot. A few of those men from the bar had been known to follow her home from work, and she was ready. Without warning she turned and stabbed her blade into the side of a woman her age. Mai was mortified as she stepped back, but the woman made no movement.

"I'm so sorry! Don't worry I'll get you some help." As Mai pulled out her phone, she felt a hand close over hers. The woman had gotten much closer, and Mai saw she was clothed in a sexy black outfit. Her hair was dark enough to blend in with the outfit, but her eyes were frightening. They were green, and too intense to be human. But that wasn't all. She also saw that the woman was not screaming, crying, or even whimpering in pain. Instead, she was smiling brightly.

"It's alright," she said, pulling the blade out of her skin and tossing it a few feet away. "I'm a fast healer." Mai's eyes widened as she saw the wound close before her eyes. The woman smirked.

"Not fatal enough to do me much damage I'm afraid." Mai tried to step backwards but stumbled, her body falling onto the pavement with a dull 'thud.' The woman smirked and draped herself on top of her, lying there as if Mai were her bed.

"It's nice to make your acquaintance Mai Valentine."

"What are you, a lesbian stalker? Are you in love with me or something?" Mai asked, making her voice louder than it usually was, praying someone would hear it. Her prayers were not answered. The woman laughed.

"No, but I am in love. Unfortunately, he's distracted by your boyfriend's little wench of a sister." Mai's eyes widened.

"If you do anything…"

"Oh don't worry; it won't be ME personally." The woman's face hardened. "But, you see, to get to her, we need her brother. And to get her brother, we need YOU."

Without another warning, Shiori pulled out a needle and stabbed it into Mai's wrist. Mai's world went hazy, and Shiroi smirked as her fangs bore. Her eyes were darkening, going to a poisonous green, and then, she bent down to bite Mai's neck.

"Don't worry; you'll make a fine puppet."

And she bit down into Mai's skin. Time seemed to slow down as Mai's humanity slipped away. But instead of draining all of her, Shiori stopped within an inch of turning Mai to ash. She pulled back and wiped her mouth, then took notice of her handy work. Mai was breathing in short, shallow gasps. Her gasps were almost as shallow as her eyes, which had now lost their life. But other than that, she looked the same. The poison that was injected would guarantee Mai never coming out of this trance for as long as her body would live. It also guaranteed something else, which made an evil grin come to Shiori's face. She pulled Mai's head up and cradled it, then pushed it to her chest.

"I know you can still hear me in there, so I think I'll just explain what happened to you. You are trapped, your body is no longer yours to control. I could've taken your mind too, but I think I'll save that for later. You're mine to control." Shiori smirked and pressed Mai's head more into her chest.

"Hear that? Nothing. No heart beat to speak of. I'm heartless." She took Mai by the hair, forcing her lifeless eyes to look into her own. "Get ready to play."

-

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-

It was a gloomy day with no rain, and these were the kind of days Serenity hated. She heard the door behind her open, and turned with a smile, hoping to see Zakura. But instead, she saw a girl clad in a light blue halter dress, which accentuated her pale skin. Her long, black hair was in a braid, falling down her back, and her eyes bore into Serenity. She put on a warm smile.

"Hello, I don't believe we've been properly introduced. My name is Shiori."

Shiori walked to the bed and held out her hand. Serenity took it and they shook.

"Is something wrong?" Shiori asked, noticing Serenity's look of shock.

"It's just, well, I haven't seen you before, and you seem nice for a vampire."

"Well, I'm not surprised that you haven't seen me. I'm usually not allowed out." Serenity's heat suddenly ached for the girl.

"Why not?"

"Well…" Shiori's eyes looked down. "I'm sorry, but I don't want you to think poorly of me." Serenity held Shiori's hand tighter.

"I won't. I promise you." Shiori breathed in, then let out a slow breath.

"Well, basically put, I'm the master's whore. I cater to his every sexual desire." Serenity remained still, taking in the Shiori's words. She believed her, she realized a moment later.

"It's okay, I understand," Serenity told the shivering figure before her. Shiori looked into her eyes.

"You're here to replace me. He wants your body now. You have to get out of here." Serenity found herself shaking her head before she could stop herself.

"Thank you for the warning, but I'm going to stay put for now. I need to find some things out for myself. And plus," Serenity smiled, "I have some things that are important to me here. Besides, I don't think I could've got out of here for a day even if I wanted to." Serenity was touched at the stranger's concern, but knew she had to stay.

"I suppose your right," Shiori said, offering a smile. Inside, she was losing her patience. As Shiori got up to leave, Serenity grabbed her hand.

"Wait. I need to go see my brother. I miss him, but I need to get out of here undetected. Please," Serenity didn't even notice that springs of tears were streaming from her eyes. Shiori smirked and sat next to Serenity. "I will help you."

-

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-

Serenity had to put on a black outfit to blend in with the shadows, but all Shiori could lend her was a black lacy night gown that unlaced in the back.

_My brother's going to kill me if he sees me in this outfit. _

But she didn't care, because seeing her brother was worth him yelling. Shiori led her into the basements of the mansion, into the dark where no one could see them.

"I'll disperse and get you out of here, but after that, I have to get back," a voice somewhere in the dark told her.

"Fine," Serenity said, and then she felt arms encircle her from the darkness. She closed her eyes as she felt the familiar sensation of turning into a shadow, and then she felt the wind on her face. She breathed in fresh air for the first time in days. She turned to thank Shiori, but saw her starting to disappear again.

"Remember, don't ever mention y name, lest I be punished."

"I promise," Serenity said, then she turned and ran. Shiori smirked. She didn't know she could convince the wench so easily.

_I think I'll go see what happens. _


	10. Doubt, Deception & Intimacy

Serenity forgot that she didn't have anything with her, so she was grateful for the spare key she found outside her front door. It wasn't midnight yet, so she hoped her brother would still be awake. The door creaked as she pushed it open, the darkness seeming to engulf her. Then, she wandered toward her brother's room, to find him sitting on his bed, watching TV. She couldn't help herself; she threw herself into him in a hug.

"Hey sis," he said, seeming to gasp the words since she had knocked the wind out of him. She had to keep herself from crying. It had only been a few days, but she felt like she hadn't seen him in forever. Kaiba had filled her in on what she needed and wanted to know, and she was glad that he had just come out of his euphoria now. She was glad he wasn't sick with worry about where she was. And she was glad that he had his own happiness for once. She breathed in deep, and noticed her brother was wearing cologne.

"Were you going somewhere?" she asked him, looking up at him. His eyes held the happiness she had always remembered.

"Yea, I was. But Mai called and had to cancel for some reason."

Serenity nodded and continued hugging her brother, and he returned her hug with warmth. Then she felt him tense up.

"What Are You WEARING?" he asked, taking his jacket off a nearby chair and throwing it at her. She smiled, realizing that her nightgown wasn't exactly appropriate.

"It's called sleepwear. It's not like I was outside selling myself." Her brother calmed down after that, while she slipped the jacket on.

_Well, at least I told part of the truth. _

Serenity blushed as she felt her stomach grumble, realizing she hadn't eaten all day. Joey stood up and held out his hand to her.

"I'll make you something, c'mon." Serenity took his hand and smirked.

"Since when could you cook?" she teased. He laughed and they went down to the kitchen. They spent a few hours in their own world as brother and sister, having fun and just talking. Soon, Joey got tired, and Serenity said she was spending the night with some friends. Joey insisted to walk her, but she knew he had work early in the morning since he didn't have classes. She kissed him on the cheek and sent him to bed.

"I'm sorry onii-chan," she said under her breath. She put his jacket over a chair and left.

She slowly went on her way, walking the streets back to the Kaiba mansion. She thought she felt someone following her, but all her fear went away as she saw the mansion in sight. She felt relief wash over her until she heard a voice.

"Hi."

She turned to find a guy about her age, white hair long and falling into his eyes. He was good looking, but radiated a dangerous glare.

"Hi," she said back, feeling as though she knew him from somewhere. Then it hit her.

"You're Bakura, aren't you?" His eyes widened for a second, then he had her in a grip so fast she could've sworn the he had disappeared then reappeared.

"I guess you've heard about me then," he said, breathing into her ear. She struggled, but like any vampire, or man, he was stronger. "You wanna go somewhere with me?"

"No, I don't want to. Let me GO!" she said, and then she felt him let her go, but not willingly.

"Bakura, don't be a pig. That's the girl my brother's been telling you about. The one who's living with us." Bakura's eyes widened as he stepped away from her.

"I'm sorry, I am so sorry," he said as he bowed. He seemed to apologize more out of fear than sincerity. She knew that his vampire nature was to do things like that to innocent people, so it was easy to forgive him. She was still disgusted though. She looked beyond Bakura to find a guy who seemed a little younger than her by about two years. His long black hair was tied behind his head in a loose ponytail, and his violet eyes, which held the same eternal look as any vampire, held disgust for Bakura. He smirked, which made his features even more beautiful; and she realized that she had seen it somewhere before. It was the Kaiba smirk. He had the Kaiba looks.

"Get out of here and find someone else to eat." Bakura glared, but nodded, disappearing into shadow as he did. The boy stepped towards her, offering her his hand.

"I'm sorry about him. He's just like that, but he honestly doesn't mean any harm. Are you alright?" He was so gentle in his speech that she took his hand without really thinking about it, but he didn't take advantage of that. He helped her steady her stance, and then gently let her go.

"Who are you?" she asked him, her voice becoming normal again. He smiled at her, an actual genuine smile, and she felt herself blush.

"I'm surprised you don't know, everyone says I look just like him. My name's Mokuba, I'm Kaiba's little brother." Serenity then realized the somewhere inside, she did know, but she also knew that you couldn't be sure with the world she was now caught up in.

"I thought you weren't supposed to leave the mansion?" he asked, his question more teasing than serious. She blushed again.

"I…uh… I just wanted to see my brother." He smiled at her again, and she noticed he had a nice smile. She wondered if his brother ever smiled like that.

"It's okay. I understand, a family bond is strong. I'll take you back to the mansion and my brother won't know a thing, okay?"

She nodded, grateful for some kindness.

"That means you're a vampire too, aren't you?"

He looked down on her with a sad smile.

"How could you tell?" And they disappeared into shadow.

-

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Serenity sat in her room, thinking about the day's events. She hadn't realized how much she missed home until she had been there. It wasn't so much the actual house, but the warmth she had when she was there. Her brother's warmth, and his love. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Kaiba came in looking at her from head to toe. A new ache suddenly filled her, and she realized that she had missed him too. She ran to him and put her arms around him, praying and hoping that he wouldn't push her away. He didn't.

"I missed you," she confessed in a small voice, and she gasped as he tightened his embrace around her.

"It's only been a few hours," he told her, trying to put her longing into simple logic. It didn't work.

"I know. But I did." How long would it have to be like this? She knew that he couldn't love her back, but she kept hurting herself by not caring and loving him anyway. She wanted to be with him, both in body and mind, but what did he want?

-

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Kaiba held the small girl in his arms, tightening his grasp so he wouldn't have to let her go. He then realized he didn't want to let her go. He kissed her forcefully, putting his own chaotic emotions into it. She kissed him back, just as forcefully, love making her act out of character. She directed him backward to the bed, and he lay down gently on top of her. She continued kissing him, losing herself in it. He pulled away for air after a few minutes, and only then did she open her eyes. He looked at the girl he had beneath him, wondering why he kept her for as long as he did. Wondering why whenever he wasn't near her, all he wanted was to find her, as if she was his lost child.

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-

Serenity looked upon the face of the man she loved with longing, and then she saw the hunger in his eyes come to the surface. And she wondered how many woman before her had been looking up into that hunger.

Time seemed to stop for her as she made that realization. She knew that she loved him, but to love him meant nothing. He had not emotion within him, though she thought she had seen it from time to time. She knew that she wanted him with her, but she also couldn't help but wonder if she was just his device, like Shiori was. Serenity's thoughts were suddenly filled with the girl's sad face when she told what she was. She felt his hand gently on her stomach, exploring. It felt right, but her mind was not into it at the moment. She reached up and under his shirt, her hands exploring. She realized she was still wearing the black lacy nightgown, and she knew he would have easy access to her body. What she didn't know was why she was feeling so much and not all of it was desire and love.

_What am I to him anyway, _she thought to herself, realizing that she didn't know. Suddenly she felt a hand on her cheek, directing her head to look straight into a pair of blue eyes. Had she been looking away the whole time?

"What's wrong?" he asked her, his eyes showing hints of concern.

"Nothing."

-

-

-

Kaiba, in the past, would have usually accepted her answer and kept going. But, for some reason, when he saw the doubt in her eyes, his feelings immediately lost their heat and cooling off. He eased his weight off of her and stood, his stomach suddenly cold from the missing warmth of her hands.

"Why?" he heard her ask as he walked toward the door. He turned to look at her. Her body shone beautifully against what she was wearing, her hair falling gently past her shoulders. He looked into her eyes, and he saw the love and the desire she had for him. But he also saw something he never wanted to see from her, whether it was about him or not. Doubt, uneasiness, possibly even fear.

-

-

-

This night, it was Serenity who had the nightmare. She saw Kaiba and ran to him, but as she embraced him, she felt the grip around her tighten. She looked up into the cold eyes of Marik. She tried to scream, but even as she did, no sound came out. She heard his laugh, full of maliciousness, and then felt herself burn with pain as he violently threw her to the ground. She tried to get up, but found herself shackled to the spot where she lay. She felt more eyes on her, eyes of people she didn't even know. She looked up to find Kaiba, seeming to run to her, but before he got close enough to touch her, Marik stepped in his way. There was a fight, full of blood and gashes.

_Stop it! _She felt herself yell every time another wound appeared on Kaiba. _Stop it! He'll die! HE'LL DIE! _

Her cries fell on deaf ears as she saw Marik deliver the final blow, and as Kaiba lay motionless. Marik stabbed him with a needle, and Kaiba stood up. But Kaiba wasn't Kaiba anymore, and Serenity saw that he was controlled by invisible puppet strings, and Marik was the puppet master. She saw Kaiba pick up a knife from nowhere and stick it in himself. He thrust it in slowly, and she screamed in horror as he finally collapsed from blood loss. The man she loved was dead. She felt tears shower her cheeks, her grief too great to fill her. She felt as if she was being destroyed inside. Marik walked over and positioned himself on top of her. She tried to fight as he came down upon her, but her body was no longer hers. Just like the last time…

He smirked, an evil gleam coming to his eyes as his fangs bore. They seemed like an assassin's weapon. As she felt his fangs dig into her neck, she sat up in bed, panting from the nightmare. She looked around her dark room, and suddenly everything felt threatening. She got up and left the room, going to the one place, the one person, who made her feel completely safe.

-

-

-

Kaiba woke suddenly as heard soft knocks on his door. He got up, shivering slightly from the sudden cold without his covers. He wore only a pair of sweat pants and boxers, nothing more. He unlocked his door and pulled the person in, not even bothering to see who it was as he closed the door behind them.

"There's a reason that I shut my door at night, and it's…" He felt his breath catch as he realized that the trembling creature beneath his arms was Serenity. She held herself against him, and he realized she was crying. He turned the lights on to a dim glow, seeing the streams that were coming down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, but I had to see you. I just had to."

He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply, kissing away her fear and her pain. When he broke away, she whispered the words he had forbidden her to say.

"I love you."

He didn't say anything in return, but he held her even tighter. He picked her up and placed her on the bed, lying down next to her. As he reached over to turn off the light, he felt her hand gently encircle his. She reached over and kissed him gently. It was both a kiss and a question as she rolled over on top of him. He answered by kissing her back deeply, his hands exploring her body. She let her hands run over his chest, and she felt herself losing in the battle to her desires. She shifted so that one of her legs was between his two, and then deepened the kiss. He unlaced her nightgown, and felt her bare skin against his. He rolled her over so he was on top of her. He slipped her nightgown off, letting his eyes take in her beauty. He lavished kisses down her throat, down to her breasts, and down to her stomach. She shivered, cold suddenly as she didn't feel his heat anymore. He came back and kissed her neck, his hand gently caressing her body. She reached down and pulled his pants down, leaving him in only boxers and her in only panties. He looked into her eyes, and he gave her a silent message. His vampire ways were taking over, and she knew that he was going to make love to her tonight. And she also knew that was what she wanted. She didn't care if she was his one night stand, she was beyond caring. Love was blinding her. She nodded and held him to her, pressing herself to him. She kissed his throat and collar bone, then came back to his lips.

"It's okay," she gently whispered to him, the whisper almost inaudible "Just keep going. I promise myself to you, both in mind and body."

He looked into her eyes, expecting to see the doubt again, but he didn't. All he saw was her desire, driven by love and lust.

"Are you sure?" he asked, wondering why he was reconfirming. She smiled at him, the smile making her face so beautiful. She answered by kissing him more, her hands resting gently on the small of his back. He gave into his vampire ways and he lost himself in her. His kisses grew deeper, hungrier. The only thing her repressed was the need to bite her; he wasn't going to turn her tonight. He needed her with him, he was sure of that.

Their kisses were both full of ferocity and gentleness, and they seemed to be together in a world they had created for the both of them. They forgot everything, who they were, what their purpose was, everything. All they knew was that they were two lovers about to unite in body and mind. They had an intimacy all their own. He pulled the last piece of clothing off of her, and she did the same to him. He looked down at her and she looked up at him, taking in everything. And then they were one. Serenity gasped and she felt pain and pleasure more than anything she had ever experienced. They moved together, they were each other. They were one. She felt her body move gently to fit the shape of his, and with a final gasp, he had taken innocence.

-

-

-

Kaiba woke to find someone sleeping in his arms. This was a first for him, usually the woman was gone or had left after the post-sex awkwardness. But Serenity felt so right, as if she was his missing puzzle piece he was searching for all his life.

"You're beautiful…Serenity," he whispered to the sleeping girl, barely able to call her by her first name.

She was facing him as she slept, a small smile on her face. Was she smiling because of him? He looked beyond her at the clock, which told him it was only 4 A.M. He reached over to turn off the light, but stopped halfway. He wanted to look at her, he realized. He reached out to touch her, but gently pulled back.

_Damn. _

Kaiba had been in the dark part of life for too long, for he didn't think gentleness could come to him at all now. Even something as simple as caressing his lover's face was impossible for him.

-

-

-

Serenity woke to the rays of the morning light on her face. As she tried to move, she felt something heavy on her stomach stopping her. She realized it was Kaiba's arm, and she looked up into his sleeping face. She gently reached up and caressed his face, letting her fingers spread over his features. She moved a little closer to him, enjoying the warmth his body gave her. She knew it must have been early morning, because she heard no movement throughout the house.

She looked at him without a feeling of regret. She still felt sore from the sex, and the protective way he held her, so tight; but she didn't care.

Then she looked at him again, and realized that in a way, she did. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt half empty. He had taken part of her, and she didn't know if she had a part of him to speak of. She knew all she wanted was to be his and for him to love her back, but that was only a wish. He would go about his daily business, and she would be here, wondering if he would need her anymore. Maybe he would devour her, maybe he would turn her, or maybe he would just let her go. She didn't know which of the three was worse. She untangled herself from his grip, and put on her underwear, then a shirt of his that she found on the floor. She looked for her clothes, finding them scattered in different places on the floor. She didn't take his shirt off, even as she found everything, but instead kept it on, as if she were keeping part of him close to her. She quietly opened his door, taking one last glance at her lover before she left the room.

-

-

-

Shiori stepped into Marik's lair, the darkness not bothering to hide her fury.

"Her brother is still human, and the wench has slept with him. How is that part of your plan?"

Marik looked at the girl and smirked, which caused her anger to cease. If he was laughing, then nothing was of concern.

"Shame. I wanted to take her when she was still pure. But I guess once won't make a difference." He seemed to be talking to himself, which made Shiori even angrier. She hated being ignored. He seemed to sense that and glanced over at her.

"You really should control that anger Shiori, it's not very feminine."

"HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM ABOUT THIS?" she asked him in a menacing voice, her whole being shaking with rage. He smirked again.

"I thought this would happen. No, I knew this would happen. Now all I need is some time." His eyes flashed a look of pure menace, and Shiori took a step back, her anger replaced by an uneasy feeling.

_That's like a look of insanity. _


	11. Inner Demons

Serenity saw him leave for work through her window, slightly waving, even though she knew he couldn't see her. She went to the reading room to join Zakura and Mokuba, seeing them stop dead cold in their conversation when she entered the room. She didn't question it at that moment. She looked at the two out of the corner of her eye, and her heart twisted itself again. They could've been anyone; people she met on the street or her life long friends. The way they laughed and talked about things together, as if they didn't have a care in the world. When in reality, not only did they have cares, but they belonged to a different world entirely. Serenity felt awkwardness settle over her, and she knew she didn't want to bask in it for too long.

"So, how old are you guys anyway?" Serenity asked, breaking the silence. Both of them smiled.

"Well, in reality, I'm about three thousand years old Serenity," Zakura said, a small smirk coming to her face.

"And I'm two thousand four hundred and sixty-four," Mokuba said, smiling even broader. Serenity looked down, not knowing how to answer them.

"But, if it'll make it easier for you, I'm twenty and Mokuba's sixteen," Zakura said. "And of course, we know everything about you." Serenity didn't bother to ask how they did, and immediately directed the conversation elsewhere.

"Where is everyone in the morning anyway?" she asked, noticing the silence that surrounded them.

"For a vampire, the entire world revolves around the night. If you get into the dark part of it a little too much, that is. They usually sleep around now from partying and feeding-all-night-long exhaustion. Not because we're afraid of the sun." Serenity nodded. There was so much she knew and didn't know, but at that moment, she knew that all she wanted was to know them as they had known her, not through a file that had been obtained, but by generally being their friend. Seeing Zakura and Mokuba talk and act like family made her heart ache for her own family. For her brother, the only one that was left for her. She excused herself and left the room, not even bothering to wonder if they were watching her go. She wandered the house, remembering that she had never really been everywhere. She saw rooms with random things in them, one held nothing but books, and others held nothing at all. Most of the bedrooms she saw were unoccupied, and some had figures that she couldn't make out sleeping in beds. She spent two hours walking around, as if the mansion were a tourist attraction, before she got to a door that looked like it led to the basement. As she was about to put her hand on the doorknob, she felt another hand grab her wrist to stop her.

"You shouldn't go down there," a voice warned her. "You might find something you don't like." Serenity slowly turned to stare into Shiori's intense green eyes. She smiled slightly, happy to see the girl again.

"You want to see your brother again, don't you?" Shiori asked Serenity after a few moments of silence, causing tears to well at her eyes.

"I know that I shouldn't ask you. And I know that you might get punished for it, but…"

Shiori put her hand over Serenity's mouth to silence her.

"I'll take you anytime." Shiori grabbed the girl and they dissolved, shadows engulfing them. They were in front of the small house again, and Serenity stepped away.

"Thank you," Serenity said, smiling.

"Just make sure you come back," Shiori warned as she disappeared again. Serenity nodded and walked into her house.

-

-

-

Serenity spent whatever time she wasn't at the mansion with her brother from then on; Shiori always seeming to sneak her out of or into the mansion just when she needed it. Her brother never asked where she was at night, since she always left right as he went to bed. Kaiba never noticed since he always seemed to work late. And her brother always assumed she had something early in the morning, and it always made her happy to know that he wasn't wondering where she was all hours of the day. They had been able to spend a lot of time together recently, since Mai seemed to be very sick. Joey always wanted to visit, but she always insisted that he never come, her sickness might be contagious. Joey worried, but Serenity always made sure to take the worry right off of his face when she spent time with him.

-

Serenity bid her brother goodnight some five days later, but he insisted that she go spend the night with a friend.

"I have to study, so get out of here and have fun. I can trust you for one night. It's not like you're gonna run away," he said with a smirk.

_If you only knew the half of it. _

It made sneaking away easier, so Serenity didn't argue as she went out the door, leaving her brother to clean up the last of the dishes in the kitchen. She didn't notice that Mai stood outside the door, a lifeless, yet evil glare in her eyes.

-

Joey cleared the plates, and started to soak them in the sink when he heard the door open and close.

"Serenity!" Joey called to the dark hallway. "Did you forget somethi-"

Joey's words were cut off when he noticed who stood in the doorway of his kitchen. It was Mai, but she had changed dramatically in the last week in his absence of seeing her. She was dressed in a white corset-like shirt and a denim mini skirt, typical Mai style. But she seemed to have lost a lot of weight, and now her figure was even leaner than usual. Her face had lost its usual glow and her cheeks looked like they were on the verge of sinking in. Her hair had lost its usual curl, laying flat past her shoulders. And her eyes seemed to be endless voids.

"Whoa Mai! How sick were you? Why didn't you tell me it was that serious?" he said before going to her and pulling her into his arms. She didn't answer, but instead leaned her head against his shoulder and hugged him back lightly. Joey's eyes softened and he held the girl even tighter.

"You really know how to scare a guy, you know that?"

"Sorry," the girl said in an almost robotic like way. Joey assumed it was from being sick.

Inside herself, Mai watched as she was manipulated at every twist and turn. She watched herself embrace Joey without her actually doing it, and watched her speak without her actually using her voice.

_Ready to fulfill your purpose, puppet?_ A malicious voice asked the girl inside her own head, and Mai tried to block it out.

_Remember, he's going to eat some of that poison that you brought. That will make him long for your touch more and more. His desire for you will grow until it devours him, and then he'll do anything for you. You'll be his puppet master, just as I am yours. And here's another thing to think about, if he doesn't have you with him, he'll go insane. He won't eat, he'll barely sleep, and he might be led to insane acts. Unfortunately, this poison is too strong to be given to someone all at once, so you'll just have to feed it to him little by little, until you break him. _

Mai's heart ached at what the girl in her mind had just told her. Mai would hate herself for what she would do, causing a person's existence to become so corrupted and awful. Especially a person who she had given her heart to. Mai tried to fight, but she was losing the battle within herself. The battle to control her mind, and the battle to keep her sanity. Being alone in your own body with a cruel voice mocking you, that was her fate. But, as she saw what she was about to do, she knew that some other fates, like hers, were worse than death.

-

Joey sat turned to make Mai something hot to drink, so he didn't notice as she took a very small bottle out of her pocket. The liquid was clear, with a rainbow gleam in it from the overhead kitchen lights. She slipped a small amount in her mouth and almost retched. The taste was nothing, since there was no taste; but the feeling, as if something evil had invaded her body, made her want to retch. Even though Mai was no longer in control of herself, the poison was that strong.

_And he doesn't even know that I'm going to use it on him… _

Mai watched as her body went over and hugged Joey from behind. As he turned, she pressed her lips to his in a kiss. Joey was surprised for a moment, but welcomed the girl he loved, parting his lips slightly so his tongue and hers could meet.

He didn't even notice as the poison slipped into his body.

-

-

-

Serenity sat on her bed, staring at the TV in front of her but having no recollection of what was going on in the program. She wouldn't meet her brother today, because he said he was with Mai. Serenity was relieved that she was feeling better, but had gotten used to spending so much time with her brother that she had nothing to do. Everyone in the mansion thought she was hauled up in her room reading books all day, which was true; until she had finished them all. She wondered if she could go see Kaiba, since he seemed to be working at home today, but something held her back.

She and Kaiba had barely spoken to each other for several days, ever since they had made love. The occasional small talk when they passed each other in the corridors was all she got out of him. Serenity knew he wasn't ashamed of his performance, but she vaguely wondered what had been keeping her from seeing him. She felt it too, the connection they had made in mind way before they had ever made it in body. She decided that she did want to see him, so she changed into a decent outfit. She had never brought anything from home, just to avoid suspicion, so she continued to borrow from Zakura. She reached into her closet and pulled out a navy blue strapless dress that cut at the mid-thigh with a slit that stopped just below her underwear. She brushed her hair out, letting it fall past her shoulders. She walked down the hall to his office, where she found him not working, but staring off into space. Her presence seemed to interrupt the world that he was in, and he directed his attention to her. He beckoned that she close the door, and she did, and then she stepped closer. He didn't say anything, but she could've sworn she saw his body rack with tension at the sight of her.

-

Kaiba saw her and felt as if he should send her away. He knew she would listen, but he also knew that he wouldn't want her to listen. He watched as she sat on the corner of his desk, her body seeming to glow before him.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" she asked. He was shocked by her bluntness, but answered her question with one of his won.

"Why do you care?" he asked, his voice taking on its usual non-caring tone. She looked hurt by his words, and it took all his will power to not want to take back the words. She seemed to recover rather quickly, and spoke to him with more blunt confessions.

"Because I love you."

He was frozen, if only for a minute, by her words. He recovered from his shock quickly, composing himself with his fierce demeanor.

"I thought I told you never to say that out loud again," he said in a growl, his voice seeming to be as icy cold as his eyes. He saw the hurt look on her face, but he found that he didn't care. Or rather, he _wanted _not to care. She leaned in closer, her face now barely inches from his.

"You also told me that you wanted to kill me. I have yet to see you raise a weapon or a hand to me."

She had gotten him there, they both knew it. He turned away, and felt her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off violently.

"Don't touch me," he told her darkly.

"Why are you trying to hurt me?" she asked him, her voice racked with hurt. He didn't expect for her voice to sound so desperate, for her to seem to make herself small. He turned slowly to face her again, inwardly shocked at the sudden closeness between them.

He grit his teeth, a grimace coming to his face. He wasn't ready to deal with what she was doing to him, not just yet. She sat in front of him now, noticing that he was shaking. Her hands reached out and cradled his head gently, despite her hurt. She pulled him towards her, bringing his head to her chest in a warm embrace. Her warmth caught him off guard at that moment, seeing as she just appeared to be angry with him only moments earlier. She held him as she would've held a new born, gentle but with a fierce love.

"Seto, what are you trying to hide from me?" she asked him quietly, as if the question was sent to his heart instead of to his ears. His eyes widened against her breast, and he was grateful that she didn't see. Had she had just called him by his first name. He found he didn't mind it, and kept still.

_Do you think that girl can give you back your humanity Kaiba? _

Marik's cold voice suddenly ran through his head. He stiffened, which caused her to loosen her grip a little. His breathing turned heavy, as he involuntarily went back through his nightmares and his memories. He remembered Serenity's taste, wanting it for himself again, even though he knew she wouldn't survive it. He felt tears trickling down his face, but he heard no sobs escape his throat. He felt as if his tears were his asking for forgiveness for all he had done, but he also knew that he would never have forgiveness; not ever in his immortal life. The memories were choking him, and he felt as if he would die. They trapped him in the screams, the pleas, and Marik's cold, dark promise.

"_You know that I hate you. And how much more could I show it than taking your woman. I'll take her Kaiba, when you least expect it. And when I do, I'll turn her myself. She'll be mine, and you'll know that for the rest of your God forsaken life."_

His breathing turned from short and shallow to almost ragged, everything too much to take.

"Seto, what's wrong?" he heard Serenity's voice say to him. He took his hand away from her and placed it over her chest. He felt a heartbeat. He then placed it over his, where another heartbeat was now beating with equal ferocity. Everything, all the pain, all the hurt, all the guilt, it was all coming back to him. And he was doing everything in his power to keep them at bay.

_No! Stop! NO! _

-

He didn't remember what had happened within himself before he violently pushed Serenity away from him. She toppled of the desk, landing with what sounded like a painful thud on the floor. He didn't notice; he was only noticing the memories that flew in front of him like a slideshow, and the heart beat that pounded within his ears. He was within his own darkness, and he felt like nothing could stop it. He heard a creak in the floor and looked over, and watched as Serenity pulled herself up off the floor.

"Stay…away," he told her, his voice coming in gasps. She didn't listen, but instead took his hand in hers. She eased her way towards him, and put her other to hand to where his other hand was. Over his heart. For the first time, she felt it too. The slow, but steady beat of a heart. His heart. She brought her head to it, pressing her ear to the comforting sound. She felt his body win the inner struggle he was having, and his breathing ceased from gasping. The heart beat grew fainter until it was gone completely, as if it was a precious memory she was storing in the back of her mind. She looked up, and discovered he was looking down at her. He shoved her away, but with less force this time.

"I can't be around you. You do too much to me. Just leave me alone right now. Don't come back to me. I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU!"

Serenity felt as if she had been thrown into a mirror, glass shards ripping her to pieces just like his words did. She tried to step towards him again, but saw him take a step back. What had she done to him? Had she not saved him from himself? But… an awful thought entered her head.

Was I the one that condemned him in the first place?

"Did you hear me?" he said violently to her. "I said GET OUT!"

Serenity felt an onslaught of tears come to her, followed by sobs that could've broken anyone's heart.

_But he has no heart. Not anymore… _

Serenity turned and ran, barely making out of the room in time before she felt her emotions catch up with her. She managed to hold it in until the very last second, until she got to her room. She fell onto her bed, crying to herself. All her hurt seemed to have been exposed with his, and she couldn't let it go as easy as he seemed to have had. That was the difference between a human and a vampire.

-

-

-

Shiori watched from Serenity's doorway, her infamous evil smile coming to her lips.

_Just a little more_


	12. Escape from Memory

She cried herself to sleep. And after that, she stayed away. For the first time in a long time, Serenity felt lost. She looked at the calendar above her bed, and realized she hadn't seen her brother for a few days. She arranged her dress to look presentable and slowly crept her way down the hall. She crept down the steps, afraid even one of the small noises she made would alert somebody. She couldn't find Shiori, and didn't even want to waste time finding her. She crept to the basement door, the one door that she had never opened, and gently pulled it open. There was the beginning of a staircase, and then nothing. Darkness was all she saw stretched in front of her, and her heart suddenly ached, as if this darkness was her. She was about to turn when she felt a hand on her back, violently shoving her down the steps. She fell into the pitch black sea, her arms and legs hitting something every few steps. Her cry of surprise was drowned out by the noise as she fell down the stairs. Pain seeped into her like poison from a snake bite. She could feel it coming to a stop, and braced herself for the final blow, when she felt arms reach up and catch her. They were a girl's arms, thin but strong, and they held a mother-like gentleness to their grip.

"Serenity, what are you doing down here?"

She recognized the voice instantly as Zakura's, and relief flooded through her body. She looked to the top of the stairs, where she saw no one. The person who had tried to hurt her was gone. She looked up to see Zakura's smiling face, but didn't see it. It was Zakura, just not the Zakura she knew. Her hair was tied in a braid down her back, and her eyes were so light that the once violet eyes looked like a raging storm. Her fangs bore and blood was dripping down them. Serenity shoved her away, too scared to even think. Zakura shot her a warning glance.

"You…shouldn't…be…here," she said, her voice seeming to fail her. She looked scared, even maybe more so than Serenity herself felt. The door at the top of the staircase slowly closed, the whole room only illuminated by a small crescent of light coming from under the door.

"What is this place?" Serenity asked, already noticing how she was starting to feel weak, and how she seemed to sink into a depression.

"You have to get out of here. There is a reason no one had ever showed you this door. You-"

At that moment, Serenity heard Zakura being violently shoved into a wall by somebody. It was Bakura! But he didn't look like himself at all. His hair seemed to have been cut, and his eyes were full of malice. He didn't even seem to notice as Zakura picked herself up from where he had thrown her, panting from the effort.

"Down here, in the darkness, in the underground, we let our true natures free. We can't control ourselves, we are too far gone. It's taking all my effort right now to not bite you. But Bakura, unlike me, doesn't care about life or death. He won't listen to reason-" Zakura fell to the ground, not able to finish her sentence. She had been thrown into the wall very hard, and Serenity saw blood rushing from a wound on her shoulder. Bakura, however, took no notice as he picked her up violently by the arm.

_I don't care if I die anymore…_

Serenity braced herself, but never felt the bite come. She looked up, only to find that Bakura had been frozen to the spot he was standing in with a needle to the neck. And a very petite hand held the needle. Shiori let go, and let the body fall to the floor. She held out her hand to Serenity, who took it and fell into her friend's embrace.

"I just want to be at home for a little while," Serenity whispered, and felt Shiori gently stroke her hair.

"Alright."

Zakura recovered from her spell in time to see Shiori and Serenity starting to dissolve into shadow. Shiori didn't see Zakura's eyes widen with horror as the usual evil smirk appeared on Shiori's face. In an instant, they were gone. Zakura slowly rose, her one hand clutching her injured shoulder. Shiori, the darkest of her clan, had never helped anybody without strings attached. And the strings usually gave way to dark deception. Things happened that could never be alright again.

-

-

-

Shiori dropped Serenity a street away from her house and left, leaving nothing behind. As Serenity made her way down the street, she felt herself bump into something, too caught up in her thoughts to notice that it was a person. As she tried to side step him, he held her at arm's length.

"Serenity?"

Serenity broke out of her world to look into a pair of gentle green eyes. She remembered those eyes. She saw the black hair and the smirk, and remembered him instantly.

"Duke."

-

-

-

"What are you doing here?"

"I opened a shop here, so I'll be living in the city now. What's wrong?''

Leave it to Duke, her oldest and closest friend, to see right through her when she was trying to put on a brave face.

-

Serenity and Duke's story was actually quite simple. When Serenity had moved away with her mother, she had met him. They grew up together as best friends, even though he was three years older. He had told her he loved her, and she, in turn, had loved him. They were together for two years before she had broken things off. Maybe she had liked him too much, and it scared her; or maybe she had just not felt strong enough. Either way, it didn't matter, because they had agreed to part on healthy terms. Then her mother died, and she had declined his offer to her to live with him. She had moved to the city, and had taken refuge with her brother.

-

Duke had wanted to catch up on things, so Serenity had let him take her out for something to eat. They ended up walking in the park instead. They caught up with each other as only old friends could, and she felt some of the weight lift off her shoulders.

"So, Serenity, are you in love with someone else yet?"

Though the question had meant to be friendly, the words stopped Serenity cold. Suddenly, everything she had been feeling since she had felt Kaiba's heartbeat spilled out, and she found tears trickling down her face. Duke's eyes widened; he hadn't expected something like this to happen. He reached out and gently wiped her tears, just as he had done so many times when they were children. She looked up at him.

If she had taken him up on his offer, things would've been different. She would've been saved hours of heartache. Maybe, they would've managed to work it out. Maybe they would've even fallen in love again, but better that time. But…

She hugged him, her emotions getting the better of her. Only in her mind, she was hugging a blue eyed man whose eyes were as cold as his demeanor. Duke held her close, and if anyone was passing by, it would've been made clear that he was still in love with her. But she was in love with another. Someone who couldn't love her back, someone who could eat her if he wished, someone who was changing in a way she didn't know, right before her very eyes.

-

-

-

Duke let Serenity cry on his shoulder for a while; something he would've done under any circumstance. He sat her on a bench, and asked her to tell him what was wrong. She didn't say anything, so he didn't push the issue.

"Can I walk you home then?" he asked her after a half an hour of silence. "It's getting kinda late."

She gasped, realizing that it **was** getting late. She had wanted to visit her brother, but she would have to go back to the mansion soon. She decided it wouldn't be so bad if she was a little late. She got up and let him walk beside her, the silence between them awkward, but at the same time comfortable.

-

When Duke saw that Serenity was safely on her front steps, he took her hands in his.

"When you need me, just call me."

He handed her a card with his shop name, _Dungeon Dice Monsters_, and his number on it.

"My home and cell number are on the back. Take care of yourself Serenity." And he leaned in and kissed her. It was one sided, but also gentle and sweet; just what she needed. It was the kiss of a lover, who still loved, but who had also turned to a friend. He pulled away and smiled at her, and then he walked away, disappearing into the sunset. In the shadows, Marik saw the whole thing.

_Not a lover, but more than a friend. This could get even more interesting._

-

-

-

She turned and walked into her house, finding her brother in the kitchen. She gasped when she caught sight of his face, as if she saw a ghost.

He was pale, about three shades lighter than when she had last seen him. His body seemed skinnier; he had lost about ten pounds in the past few days. His eyes were what scared her most though. They were completely white, his eye color barely coming through. He looked as if he were fading away.

"Jo-Jo...Joey? Are you feeling okay?" The lifeless body she seemed to have seen was now filled with life.

"Hey sis! Yea, I'm fine, just great. Absolutely freaking fantastic!" His voice was high pitched and dry, as if he hadn't eaten or drank anything for a few days. Then, he started laughing. The sound was so random, so sudden. Nothing had brought it on, yet there he was, laughing his head off like an idiot.

"I'm afraid Joe's not feeling well tonight."

Serenity turned to look into Mai's eyes. Where had she come from? She held a cup of tea in her hands.

"Joe doesn't like tea," Serenity reminded Mai. The girl's face hardened, which shocked Serenity. The look was brief, but she knew she saw it. Mai had never been the type to get offended when others corrected her; when did this happen? Mai offered up a smile.

"Joe, you like tea right?"

"Yea." Her brother's voice could barely be heard, but despite it being barely audible, it was happy and cheerful. As if he was just glad that Mai had even bothered with him. She put the tea in front of him and Serenity watched as he drank it in. She knew her brother better than anyone, and tea was one thing he never drank. She would've bet her life on it.

"Joey, do you need anything?" Serenity asked her brother, hoping to get his attention on her again.

He didn't even look at her; his eyes were directly on Mai. She smiled and suddenly he started playing with her hands.

"Joe? Did you hear me?"

"Yea, but you can go. I don't really need you here tonight."

"Yea Serenity," Mai said, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Why don't you go somewhere? Don't you have a boyfriend or something you can waste your time on?" Mai chuckled at her cruel comment, which sent her brother's shrill laughter ringing through the air. Her brother had never laughed at her, not even in her most embarrassing moments. And now he was making her concern for him some kind of joke. She ran out the door; that was the only thing she could think to do. She didn't hear voices screaming after her, no one told her to come back. The rain started to come down on her in heavy sheets, and her dress clung to her body. She didn't care, she kept running. Her shoes wouldn't stay, so she threw them off and ran barefoot. Her feet suffered cuts from the concrete, and about once or twice, she fell. But she picked herself back up, her feet taking her to an unknown destination.

-

-

-

When Mai was sure Serenity was gone, she threw Joey away from her. Only it wasn't Mai.

"That annoying girl," Mai's body muttered, as Mai herself felt disgusted at what she had just done. Mai's body turned its attention to Joey, who had his head on the table because of exhaustion.

"So hungry. Yet, food and water won't do you any good. Is it because of little old me?" Joey turned his head to look at her, and only that took most of his effort.

"You...you're not Mai. Who are you? What…what did you…what did you do to me?" Joey, his true self, was showing through the intense hunger and lack of strength. But he groaned again when his head fell, too tired to keep it up for even a minute. Mai's body, which now held Shiori's spirit, laughed evilly.

"You'll find out soon enough," she said, moving forward to look him in the eye. "Believe me, you will."

-

-

-

It was an hour later, and the rain still hadn't let up. Serenity was soaked to the bone, still wandering the streets. Her body was shivering as she walked through more shadows. But, she had lost the need to feel anything. Nobody wanted her. Her brother or the man she loved. Her best friend had just come back into her life, only to leave her even more confused. She heard whistles being made, but she ignored them. A second later she felt a tight grip on her wrist, and stared into the eyes of a man. He was bulky, and she knew she couldn't win. But that didn't mean she wouldn't try.

"Let me go," she said, tugging her arm.

"Why do you have to be like that? I'll be gentle," the man sneered, coming closer.

"LET GO!" she pulled again, but to no avail.

"The lady said stop," a calm voice said. The guy let go of her and ran, obviously scared of whoever had just spoken. Serenity looked up into Mokuba's eyes. He was dressed in black, blending in with the background behind him. She instantly knew what had made the man scared. The usual gentle demeanor Mokuba wore was replaced by cold, angry eyes and an evil grin. His fangs were gleaming in the little bit of light that was showing from the sky. He held his hand out to her.

"Let's go back. My brother's looking for you."

"No," she said, slapping his hand away. Mokuba didn't back down. He stepped closer.

"He has five of his best trained looking for you. If you manage to get away from me, which I highly doubt, then **they'll** just bring you back. But I can guarantee you they'll use force instead of asking." Serenity though about this, but shook her head again.

"I don't want to go back to him. I've been doing that too much for my own good."

"Dammit, would you just come with me?" Mokuba asked, clearly losing his patience.

"Go fuck yourself," Serenity told him. Mokuba's eye twitched, a sure sign that he was getting mad. Serenity got ready to run, when she saw a dark figure appear behind Mokuba. Suddenly he was on the ground, unconscious.

"You should know that 'no' means no. But you're a Kaiba, so I guess my expectations were a little too high." Serenity recognized that voice. She looked up into Marik's cold eyes. Somehow, she knew he wasn't going to attack her. He stared at the young Kaiba, eyes holding nothing but loathing.

"I should kill you right now Kaiba," he practically spat the words. Serenity stepped forward, ready to throw herself in front of Mokuba if need be. Marik smirked.

"But where would the fun be in killing you while you can't even hear my threat. Besides, you're not your brother, so what reason would I have to hate you?" Serenity let out a sigh of relief she didn't even know she was holding in. Marik's attention quickly returned to her. Serenity felt herself stiffen under the stare of the cold eyes and the evil smirk. And then he, like Mokuba, held out his hand.

"Come with me," he said. He made no move toward her, and she made no move to back away. At least, not yet.

"Why would I do that?" she asked him, remembering the night he had attacked her. And then she remembered his promise. "You'll just take me."

Marik started to laugh, the familiar evil chuckle filling the air.

"I see you remembered what I told Kaiba. It's good that you have such a dependable memory, you should be proud." Now his face turned serious.

"I won't take you. And I'm not in a particularly lustful mood tonight either."

"Then what exactly are you offering me?"

"A place to stay for the night. Only the night, I promise. A vampire always keeps his word. Unless…someone else will take you in."

Serenity's thoughts returned to her brother's laughter, to Mai's cold smirk, and Kaiba's harsh words that had cut her to ribbons inside. She had nowhere to go, no one to turn to, and she was so desperate she could've done worse for herself at that moment. Marik extended his hand, just as Mokuba had only minutes earlier. Only this time, she didn't push him away. She held his hand and let him lead her to a place where she knew could be the very last place she ever saw.

-

-

-

Serenity was mildly shocked to find she was alive the next morning, but quickly got over it. She had fallen asleep on a mattress, on the floor of a dingy apartment, in a building on the dark side of town. Marik had offered her something to change into, but she decided against it. She had slept in her bra and panties, her dress's freezing hold too much to bear anymore. She had hung it on the heater, hoping it would dry by morning. She got up and walked over to it, feeling slightly damp material beneath her fingertips.

_This will have to do. _

She slipped the dress over her head, not caring when she felt a chill run down her spine. She opened the door to a gray hallway, the morning light still not fully showering down on it. She realized that she didn't have shoes, but ignored the pain in her feet as she made her way down the hall to the door that would lead her away from where she was.

"Leaving so soon?" she heard a voice behind her say. She turned to see Marik, leaning against the wall behind her.

"Yea," was all she managed to say. He nodded his head in the direction of the door, not making any move to stop her. As she pushed it open, she heard him again.

"If you ever need some place to go, my clan will be happy to take you in. Kaiba's scum can't come here, so you'll be perfectly safe." She didn't answer, but made her way into the cold morning light, not knowing if she would ever take him up on his offer.

-

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-

**A/N: **wow, I'm a very bad person for never saying anything. I want to thank everybody who likes my fic (tho personally, sometimes I look back and go 'I wrote that!' Uh, I want to comment back to everyone who read the last chapter.

Fairy-GYAKUTENNO-MEGAMI: thank you. I'm glad u thought the last chapter was great!

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K.Fields: Thanx! I'll try hard with the 'keeping up the great work' part ;;

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KiWingz: Wow! U ask a lot of questions! Lol, but that's a good thing! Uh, all questions will be answered, I promise!

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DemonBabe322: you've been with me since the beginning of my story, thanx 4 alwayz commenting!

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wingsofthedragonfly: Thank you!

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xXxkIkOkEnxXx: I know things don't seem good, and they may only get worse. 00! But it's ok, cuz everything will get better (I hope…)


	13. The past and the pain

Kaiba paced outside his brother's room while he was treated for wounds. Whoever had knocked him out had used a lot of force, and the blunt trauma to the head had caused him to go unconscious for more than eight hours. Finally, he saw Zakura emerge with a slight smile on her face.

"He's awake now. He'll be having headaches for a few weeks, and he should probably rest up a little more than usual for now. But other than that, he's fine."

"I'm going to see him," Kaiba said, shoving her aside. She didn't try to stop him, because his word was law. When Kaiba entered his little brother's room, he saw that Mokuba was sitting upright. He had a bandage around his head, which draped over one of his eyes. He had a bruise on his cheek, which was a sickly blue in the light. Other than that, he looked perfectly healthy. He looked up when he heard his older brother's foot steps.

"How are you Mokuba?" Kaiba asked, not bothering to hide his worry. Mokuba smirked.

"I'm pissed. I should've been more alert than that," he said, referring to when he got knocked out. Kaiba hated to admit that he was right.

"Did you see who did it?" Kaiba asked.

"How could I? Whoever it was attacked me from behind. Coward!"

Kaiba's voice took on a lower tone.

"Did you see her?" Kaiba didn't have to specify, Mokuba knew who "her" was. He shifted so he fully facing his older brother.

"Yea, I caught up with her. She didn't want to come back with me, and we were in the middle of talking when I got knocked out." Kaiba let out a grunt that was a mixture of anger and being seriously pissed off.

"Do you know what happened to her?" Kaiba asked, wondering if he would even like to hear the answer. Mokuba rubbed his head.

"My guess? She ran the hell away and is staying somewhere where she hopes we can't find her." Mokuba was blunt, as usual.

"She doesn't want to see me then?" Kaiba said, more of a statement than a question. He smirked, despite himself.

"Well, if you want my honesty, I don't blame her." Kaiba's head snapped in the direction of his little brother, a glare rising to his eyes.

"Think about it. Every day she's here, she probably wonders if it's going to be her last. She loves you. One minute you hold her, the next you push her away. She's probably about to commit suicide from the confusion. People she's never even layed eyes on want to kill her; others want her for a one night stand. She's stuck in this crazy world of ours, but doesn't leave for one reason." Mokuba looked directly at his brother, enough so he knew that HE was the reason.

"I bet she's wondering if you're even worth it anymore."

Mokuba's words stung Kaiba hard; he didn't expect them to strike a chord with him, but they had. Mokuba turned away and clenched his sheets in his hands.

"What do you want her here for anyway? You're getting a human mixed up in our world, and I bet even you don't know why. What are you going to do? Turn her when she least expects it? Are you going to do to her what you did to me?" Mokuba looked up at his brother, his face trying and failing to mask an irrepressible pain. Kaiba had done a lot of awful things in his past, but turning his brother without asking his permission was one of the worst.

Kaiba had just been turned when it had happened. He had come home disoriented and sickly, and his brother had been so concerned for him. He had put him to bed for days, and fed him medicine and food. On the evening of the full moon, Kaiba's eyes shone with the vampire light. It had frightened Mokuba, who insisted he should see the town doctor. Kaiba had told him no, but Mokuba was too full of concern to listen. It couldn't get around, because someone would know he was just suffering the effects of becoming a vampire. Kaiba was so desperate to stop him, to keep his own brother from knowing the truth, that he had gotten up and thrown him to the ground. Mokuba tried to get up, but Kaiba fell on top of him, pinning him down. Then he bit him. It was more out of his new found instincts than anything else. Mokuba was his first victim. He had taken away his little brother's humanity, his very life, with his own hands. The one person he had vowed to always protect, he had ended up destroying. After Kaiba had explained everything, Mokuba cried from happiness, which confused Kaiba.

"It's just," Kaiba remembered him saying, "You promised me you'd never leave me behind. And you still haven't. I don't hate you for this at all." The words had caused the brothers to cry together, sharing their pain. Kaiba hadn't cried since then, not until the incident with Serenity. That was the day he had accepted his fate. He had always chosen to believe his brother's words, that he honestly did not hate him, but now he began to doubt that. Mokuba had loved life because it had been so good to him. He had a girl he loved, and he was well loved by everyone. And Kaiba had just taken that away.

"Tell me the truth," Kaiba told his brother. "Do you hate me for what I did? Because if you do, I wouldn't blame you in the slightest." Mokuba smirked.

"That's one of the most sincere things I've ever heard you say big brother." Mokuba turned to meet Kaiba's eyes, a more serious look on his face.

"I have never hated you and I never will. Okay?" Kaiba smirked, more out of relief than arrogance.

"Okay." Kaiba got up to leave.

"Seto?" Mokuba called out. "You have to find her and tell her everything. Humans can fall out of love if enough things happen, or if enough time passes by. Don't ever forget that."

-

-

-

Serenity walked slowly, the pain in her feet unbearable. They had so many cuts, blisters and scrapes that she was sure if she didn't bandage them soon, she'd get an infection. She had plenty of supplies back home, but the thought of going back there seemed to make her hurt more. She felt a cool breeze come down from the clouds, making her shiver more. She wished that her dress had dried, but the constant wind had made that impossible. The sun had disappeared behind a cloud, which matched her mood. She wanted to see Kaiba, but everything seemed so cluttered inside of her head that she wasn't sure if that was what she really wanted. She felt a darker cloud close over the sun as a shadow fell over her. Suddenly hands were on her waist, hoisting her into a pair of strong arms. She looked up into Kaiba's eyes.

Time seemed to stop for the both of them. He stood holding her, and her hands were tense on his chest, debating with her head and heart whether or not to push him away. He tightened his grip on her, seeming to make the decision for her.

"Put me down please," she told him, shifting if he decided to let her go. He smirked, keeping his tight grip on her. She encircled his neck with her arms, trying to steady herself.

"You'll take five steps and die from the pain in your feet if I put you down now," he told her, starting to walk. No one passed them, and she wondered if he was keeping them away some how.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" she asked him, relaxing a bit when she realized she had no chance of getting away.

"I don't know why Wheeler," he told her. "I just know you need to be with me, or else I might go insane."

"I thought you'd lost your sanity," she told him, a last attempt for him to drop her. Instead, he smirked.

"You may be right about that."

-

-

-

Kaiba lay Serenity down on his bed. He summoned someone and they bandaged her feet; they were now stinging from the antiseptic. He shooed who had ever bandaged her feet away, leaving just the two of them. She didn't look at him, the memory of when she heard his heartbeat, and what had happened afterward, still fresh in her mind. She had wanted him to be close to her again, that was what she had wanted. And now that she had it, she didn't know how to handle it. The love she had for him was swelling in her ribcage, making her feel as if she would suffocate to death. She felt the weight on the bed shift, meaning that he had sat next to her. She turned her head, not ready to face him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her.

This caught her completely off guard. A man of cold blood felt no remorse. She turned her head slowly; ready to see deceit in his eyes. But she didn't. She saw a genuine apology, staring her right in the face. She watched as his hand reached out and caressed her face, gently stroking her lips.

"Am I forgiven?" he asked gently, taking her hand to his, kissing the palm. She tried to smile, but her heart wouldn't allow it.

"You're given as much forgiveness as I can spare. That's all I can promise you," she told him. It wasn't the complete answer he had hoped for, she knew this for sure. But it wasn't a rejection either, and that alone had restored him to himself a bit. He leaned over and kissed her deeply, his mouth the only thing he could connect with her at that moment. She kissed him back, letting her emotions think for her. She wanted to hold him close, let him have her again, but something in her had made her want to keep him away from her. Why? The answer came to her so simply. She was scared. Scared of what? Another simple answer. It was him.

-

-

-

He kissed her for a while, keeping his weight on his hands as he leaned over her. He felt like he had no right to touch her anymore, and that alone made him more desperate for her. He felt that for the first time in his life, he was about to lose something he wasn't ready to let go of yet. He didn't want to lose her anymore than he wanted to lose his life. She seemed to have BECOME his life. He broke the kiss and looked at her. She was the same, but he didn't see as much trust as she used to have in her eyes. He let his arms graze hers, and pulled her to him. He felt her stiffen in his grip.

"I-I-I…" she stuttered, words seeming to fail her.

"Don't say anything," he ordered her. "I want to make this up to you the only way I know how." And he began to kiss her neck, slowly and hungrily, as if he would die if she pushed him away.

She felt the usual warm feeling come to her body that happened whenever he was close, and felt her hands inch upward. She put her hands up the T-shirt he was wearing and explored. His warmth awakened her ache for him, and she couldn't help but let a small gasp escape her lips. She felt his smirk before it graced his face, and felt his hand graze the top of her dress. She stopped him to pull his shirt over his head, and it soon fell somewhere unknown on the floor. He unbuckled her bra through the dress, and sent both spiraling to the floor. Everything was gone soon enough, leaving them skin to skin.

-

-

-

It was a beautiful and sweet encounter, yet tragic. Serenity felt like she was being taken away from, as if she was left more broken than relieved. But her love for him was what made the pain so bad. He had hurt her, and he couldn't truly make it go away. Because her heart had been broken so badly in that one moment, and every time she would pick up a piece, she would hurt herself. And someone else had given her refuge from the pain, and, in a way, that had helped her heal. Marik had been the one to help her in a dark hour that Kaiba had caused. That scared her, because she knew his true nature. He was pure evil; he had no soul, no way to express gentleness. He probably only wanted her body, and then he would kill her. She knew all of that, but his last words to her were still fresh in her mind.

"You can always come here…"

-

-

-

Kaiba was curled up in the sheets, sleeping like an innocent child. Serenity watched his chest rise from steady breathing, and caressed his face with her hand gently so he wouldn't wake up. In his sleep, he looked human. They could've been actual lovers, not having to worry about anything. Not the fact that one could turn and eat the other, not the fact that people were out to kill both of them, and not the fact that the chances of them being together in the long run were so bleak, they were almost non-existent. She wrapped herself tighter in the sheets. The moment was so peaceful, that if given the chance, she would've chosen to be frozen in time right where she was. Then she wouldn't have to worry about Marik, Mai, or her brother, She wouldn't have to worry about the fact that stepping outside could mean she could be killed. She wouldn't have to worry about her brother not loving her, or him ever leaving her. She wouldn't worry that her lover and her couldn't be together because they were of different worlds, or of his true nature. She could be a woman, he could be a man. They could've just shared moments of tender intimacy and ecstasy, and they could've stayed that way. Forever.

-

-

-

Shiori smoked a cigarette on the mansion roof, letting the smoke carry her thoughts away. Her puppet's body was wasting away very quickly, which made them pressed for time. Shirori's evil smirk returned, when she thought of the pleasure she got for torturing the poor girl that was still alive, though barely, inside her own body. Serenity's brother was weakening too, which was also something she enjoyed manipulating to his limits. She felt a dark shadow cast itself over her, and the temperature around her dropped dramatically. She turned to her side, her smirk turning into one of amusement. She closed her eyes and let out a laugh.

"You have guts Marik. Entering the Kaiba mansion, enemy territory, alone." Marik smirked and walked over to sit next to her.

"It's crazy, isn't it?' he asked with mock concern.

"Practically suicide," Shiori said, putting her cigarettes out on the ground. Marik leaned in closer.

"It's only suicide if you don't have at least one ally. And I have at least one ally, don't I?" Marik stuck his finger under Shiori's chin and tickled her like she was a cat. She was not amused. She shrugged him off with an air of annoyance surrounding her. Marik chuckled at this, and attempted to do it again. The second time Shiori bit his finger, one of her fangs leaving a bite mark. Mairk's smirk disappeared as he stuck the bloody finger in his mouth.

"That wasn't very nice," he said after five minutes of nursing his finger. Shiori glared.

"You're pissed off for some reason, aren't you?" he asked her.

"Our plan is going nowhere," Shiori practically snarled at him. "Our two little 'puppets' are about to waste away. Give them another week and a half, and then they're gone! Are we getting anywhere!" Marik stood up.

"Follow me, I want to show you something." Marik dissolved into shadow and Shiori followed him. They re-appeared on a small roof with a skylight. Marik pointed toward the window looking down into the room, and Shiori looked down. She saw Serenity wrapped in a sheet, but otherwise naked. She saw Kaiba's eyes flutter open, and him looking at her with a gentle look. It was post sex awkwardness, without the awkwardness. It seemed to be bliss instead. Shiori's anger traveled through her body. Her hands, which had been lightly pressed to the glass, clenched themselves so tightly that the glass cracked. Marik grabbed her quickly and dissolved them into shadow before anyone could see.

-

"Did you hear something?" Serenity asked, feeling Kaiba's finger trace circle patterns on her arm.

"No," he told her, reaching over and catching her mouth with his. If they had bothered to look up, they would've seen the cracked glass, and the imprint of very petite hands.

-

-

-

Marik had transported both of them to the main mansion rooftop, where Shiori sat seething.

"See? Everything's falling into place."

"Falling into place?" Shiori shrieked, outraged. "Did you and I see the same thing? How does them fucking make it any better? Did you see the look on his face? It was like…like he…like…"

"Like he loves her," Marik said this full of logic. Shiori looked up; her intense green eyes a mixture of intense envy, anger and disbelief. She let out a shout of frustration, and then shot Marik a confused look.

"And this helps how?" Marik smirked.

"One of the bad things about love is that it shows a vulnerable side of people that no one really knows about. You need to be a little supernatural to sense that vulnerability can work to anyone's advantage."

"You want Serenity, right? How will that work to your favor if she loves him?" Shiori asked. Marik's smirk widened.

"I just want a body and a mistress. You think to highly of me Shiori. If Kaiba hasn't informed you yet, I'm twisted. Sick. Psychotic." He chuckled, and that maniac gleam that she had seen returned to his eyes. She turned away and back, seeing that he was normal again. Now even she was getting scared.

"What now?" she asked quietly.

"You'll see. Very, very soon, you'll see."


	14. Temptation and Desertion

Kaiba made love to Serenity over and over, the whole day. By nightfall, she lay in his bed, exhausted. He slept too, not getting up again and pulling her to him like he had done for the past few hours. She was so sore every time, but she let him devour her body again and again. She couldn't sleep, but she didn't think of anything else to do but lay in the arms of her lover as the night went on. She was so tired, but too tired to sleep. The window above blended with the darkness, making it seem as if she was looking up into a pale black abyss. She felt no warmth from his body and no heartbeat as he slept, making her feel as if the body beside her was dead. In truth, he was dead. He was a soulless creature, relying on the life of another to keep him in existence. But she had known that the moment she had known the terrible truth of her love for him. He grunted in his sleep, making her jump a little. She turned and saw that he had not stirred otherwise. His sleeping face had always given her some sort of calm, and today was no exception. She smiled and felt, for the first time in days, that she was at some sort of peace with herself. A small smile graced her lips as she leaned forward and placed a soft, undetectable kiss onto his lips. She could've sworn she saw a smirk grace his lips before he rolled over onto his back. And as the peace that she had been holding to her for the past few minutes began to sink in, it quickly disappeared as the body beside her began to shake. She looked over and Kaiba began thrashing, as if trying to get out of a horrible nightmare. Sweat trickled down his face, which were mingled with tears of frustration.

"Don't… please… I didn't mean…" and the words were soon slurred together so that she could not understand.

_He's having a nightmare, _Serenity thought with a terrible feeling. She reached over and placed her hands on his. He continued thrashing, but her hands stayed firm. His past was coming back to haunt him, and now in turn, it was haunting her. She came over and placed him in a gentle hug.

"It's okay," she told him, hoping her voice would reach him in the realm of nightmares that he himself had made. "It's okay, I'm here with you. I love you, and I'll never leave you. I'm here, so you can calm down now." She felt as if she were talking to a baby, but a minute later the shuddering ceased and he became still again. She wiped the sweat off of his clammy forehead, wondering if she had really reached him or if he had stopped on his own. He placed his hands over her stomach in his now slow movement, and lingered there for a moment until he turned away from her completely.

She took the opportunity to get up and walk back to her room. Wrapping herself in the sheet and nothing else, she crept out the door. Staying with him over night seemed like a wonderful, but unwise prospect for her at that moment. Her room was dark as she entered, and she fumbled for the light switch as she closed the door. But terror seeped into her as she felt a hand brush over hers and turn on the light switch instead. There stood Marik, his figure cloaked in a midnight black cloak. Serenity felt uneasy, but no fear had yet come to her. He stepped forward and took a deep breath, as if becoming accustomed to his surroundings. Then he gave her a curious look.

"You reek of Kaiba," he told her. She remembered that she hadn't taken a shower like she had planned she would. A blush crept to her cheeks as she realized she smelled like him in a number of ways. Marik smirked.

"You're still as innocent as ever, no matter how many times that bastard fucks you."

Serenity didn't know whether this was his way of insulting or complementing her. She stared into his eyes and a hazy feeling started to come over her. She knew what was happening, the many books she had read on vampires in the mansion library giving her knowledge. The full moon gave vampires a boost, but not in power like the new moon. No, the boost was of their charm and allure. She felt him walk forward and stand right in front of her. He took her hands, which held the sheet around her, into his. The sheet fell to the floor, revealing her naked body to him. He smirked at her, his eyes looking her up and down. He ran his hand gently down her arms and stepped closer still. Heat radiated from his body, and the attraction any woman would've felt at that moment was not lost on her. She felt her hands come up to his chest, but he caught both of them in his one hand. He pressed his lips to hers in a ferocious kiss, and she felt herself returning it. What was going on? The haze in her eyes made her unsure whether she was dreaming or not. Out her window, she saw a crescent moon in the air. So, it wasn't the full moon? She should've known better; Marik wouldn't have come into enemy territory by himself. That would've been a death wish. She felt the familiar feeling of losing herself, and watched as he bent and picked up the sheet. He handed it to her, allowing himself to wrap it around her frail body. Then the memory of Kaiba broke the surface of her mind. It was as if, for those few moments, that she had forgotten him completely. She could've slept with the enemy, yet the enemy himself had stopped it. She felt as if she owed Marik a debt now, and the look in his eyes told her that he agreed. But everything was so hazy, she couldn't be sure that everything was real. She saw him pull a chair up and sit, his finger beckoning to her. Kaiba's memory seemed to have vanished from her again. She sat on Mariks' lap, as if she were a part of a harem. He pulled up a table that seemed to come out of nowhere, up beside him. A bottle of wine and two glasses appeared from nowhere. He poured only one glass though. A dark red liquid graced the glass, looking as if it had stained it. He took the glass and tipped her head back, gently pouring the liquid into her mouth. He caressed the back of her neck with his hand, holding her there with an intoxicating firmness. The liquid sloshed around in her mouth, a trickle of it coming down her mouth and staying there. It was an odd taste; it was enjoyable, but then, out of nowhere, a taste of iron filled her mouth. Than something else she was sure she never drank before. And as she swallowed the last of its contents, she felt herself craving the liquid more and more. She looked at him, and she knew he saw the hungry look in her eye. He smirked and shook his head.

"Not tonight my beauty," she heard him say, but through the strong mist that had yet to leave her vision. She knew something very wrong was happening, but what it was, that she did not know. He still held her by the neck as they both stood up. He walked her slowly to the bed, where she hoped/and despised herself for hoping, that he would lay with her. And suddenly he thrust her down onto the bed, and disappeared in shadow. She didn't see this, as her whole world had gone black.

-

-

-

The next morning, Serenity woke with a head ache and odd memories in her mind. She sat up and thought clearly about the events that had happened, a deep crimson shade coming to her face. She looked around her room quickly. The chair had not moved from its spot in the far corner, and there wasn't a sign that there was ever a table or wine or glasses. She sighed, coming to the conclusion that she had dreamt a very disturbing dream. She looked down at herself, realizing she was still naked beneath her sheet that served as her clothes for the night. They had wrapped themselves tighter around her in her sleep, and she decided a shower would do her some good. She walked to the bathroom and turned the shower on. She made it rather hot, wanting to wash the dream away, along with any evidence of what she had been doing with Kaiba before she had had her dream. She thought that she would still call him by his first name, only if he addressed her by name first. She stepped directly into the shower, not bothering to look at herself in the mirror before hand. If she had looked, she would have seen what looked like dried blood trickling down her lip, which was actually the wine that she had downed only hours earlier. She also would've seen the five, finger sized bruises on the back of her neck. If it had been a dream, they would not have existed.

-

-

-

Shiori watched the wall of her dark room, as if transfixed on the spot. She had been sending messages with her mind for an hour now, and hoped that he would come to her. Sure enough, she saw a figure appear before her moments later. Marik was panting, but he seemed to be pleased with himself.

"I believe you called my name," he said as he straightened himself.

"Why are you so weak?" she asked, not sensing as much power from him as usual. He sat on the ground, not caring that she had made room for him on the bed.

"It took a lot of energy to do what I did last night, but it was well worth it."

Shiori's cruel eyes brightened with excitement.

"Tell me everything," she said, leaning forward. He didn't answer, but placed his hand to her head. In an instant, she saw everything that had happened between him and Serenity moving in front of her eyes. Then, as it had quickly come, it was gone. Shiori stood still as death for at least ten minutes, than slowly composed herself again.

"Did you and she…?"

"Of course not," he told her, waving his hand impatiently. "Kaiba's connection to that girl is strong, and if she's too close, I'll bet almost anything that he can feel, or at least sense, when she's having major emotions spurts. Pleasure would be considered one of them." He added to silence Shiori's confused look. Then her anger surfaced. Marik was seeing a lot of that lately.

"And?" she asked, clearly impatient with him. "What did you do exactly?" Marik took a small vial from his pocket and showed, what was clearly, the blood red liquid that he had fed Serenity. Shiori gasped.

"Not that, you know that's forbidden to use on any human-"

"Only in your clan," Marik interrupted. "I understand the bond that binds you all. However, I, as having left more than a century ago, am no longer bound." Marik smirked and pocketed the liquid once again. "Kaiba would be most displeased with me if he finds out what I have done. I guess we can say 'angry enough to kill'?" Shiori could only nod. Marik pulled out the vial again.

"Bottled Temptation," Marik said. "Most interesting thing, don't you think?" Shiori didn't move.

"I know you do not truly know what it does Shiori, but you and the rest of your clan are quiet right. It is quiet a horrible little thing. I would know, "Marik said, his smirk widening, "After all, me and your dear Seto Kaiba invented it together." Shiori gaped at him, now resembling a fish, though a beautiful one.

"Yes, I suppose he wouldn't want to admit he had created the very liquid that he had banned. Though, he needn't have done that, as he and I are the only ones who know what it does, and how to make it." He shot Shiori a look, as if asking her, almost daring her, to make an inquiry. She didn't, and he went on.

"Well, I'm not surprised that you recognize it," Marik went on. "Kaiba used to display that around, ranting that if he found anyone with so much as a drop, he'd drain the life from them. Of course, he would have. Never quite trusted me, even though he and I made the blood bond."

"Blood bond?" Shiori asked, her questions showing how much experience she actually lacked. Marik pulled up his sleeve to reveal a long, and what presumably used to be, a deep gash. The scar shone bright on his skin, and Shiori let out a squeak.

"Yes, I paid him dearly. Not that I didn't get something in return," he smirked. "Did you ever notice the long scar that ran down his back?" Shiori didn't have to answer. She had slept with Kaiba so many times, had memorized his body so perfectly, that she knew at once what Marik was talking about.

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you that I am not going to tell you what it does," Marik said. "I only came to tell you that very soon, something will happen. You can interpret what I have just said anyway you like." He looked like he was about to leave when he turned again. "Feel free to play with your puppets again tonight. Just don't let Serenity see."

-

-

-

Serenity wandered out of her shower, wrapped in only a towel, to discover that she had left her purse in Kaiba's room. Though that normally wouldn't have mattered, she realized that they held her only clean panties, as she had anticipated spending the night at her brother's house. The thought of her brother had been bothering her for two days, and she was sure she could afford to put it off another few hours. He was happy no one was in the hall, and she slowly crept into Kaiba's room. She had expected a small retrieval of her things; she hadn't expected Kaiba to be standing there so that she would bump into him. He looked captivated as he looked at her, and she looked up at him. He wore a black shirt and jeans, looking as carefree as a model in a magazine.

_Only better. _

"Are you planning to seduce me?" he asked, his voice half mocking, half actual seduction.

"N-n-no," she told him, a blush creeping to her cheeks, though less obvious. She was getting used to things like this happening to her.

-

Kaiba looked down at Serenity and felt heat rise for her inside of him. The white towel that wrapped around her made her look like an angel. A seductress angel.

"I…uh…I just came to get my purse," she said quietly. He jerked her head up with his finger and kissed her forcefully, letting all the heat he could get rid of go into it. It wasn't enough. He kissed her long and slow and only broke when she pulled away. He realized that he had his arms around her and was already directing her downward.

"Are you serious?" she asked him. "All last night, and that wasn't enough for you?" Kaiba smirked at her daring, avoiding the fact that she had a point. The feeling that he always felt when he was around her always made him crave her. He gave a small tug on her hair, and she let out a giggle.

"Hey, can you at least wait for me to get changed?" she asked him, feeling his hand snake around her back.

"Why the need?" he asked, nibbling at her neck. "If I have my way, and I usually do, you won't be wearing anything in the next few minutes."

The boldness of his words made her face turn a deeper shade of red than her hair, and she fell backward with him onto the floor.

_Why is he so desperate? _She wondered. She loved him, and making love to him was something she would've done anytime, anywhere on his request. But yesterday, as he used her over and over for his sexual needs, she felt as though she were merely a battery. Something he needed to recharge. She felt his hand slip inside her towel, caressing her private skin, but her thoughts of doubt wouldn't leave. She pushed him away slowly, so that his eyes met hers.

"You have things to do," she told him softly, not forgetting that he was still on top of her, crushing her beneath his weight. "And so do I." He looked at her with a wounded expression of rejection, and rolled away. She got up quickly and found her bag. She rushed out of the room, leaving Kaiba alone.

-

-

-

Kaiba slammed his fist into the wall the minute she left. He didn't care if she heard him or not. What was wrong with him? He was like a lust hungry maniac. Her body was calling to him like crazy, but something else kept nagging him as well. Ever since Kaiba had first met her, Serenity had been inside his head. And though the thought of eating her alive had lost its favor with him, he still could not quite get it out of his head. He hated what he was doing to her. He saw the look in her eyes; she thought he was using her. He knew he was. Something about her made him want her more and more, and it was driving him to the brink of insanity. Zakura's words that she had spoken long ago floated back into his memory.

_She's changed you. _

How had he changed? Possibly for the worst. He had heard a heartbeat beneath his chest more than once, and a human, a mere human, occupied his thoughts 24/7. He lay back on his bed, and placed his hand over his heart. It beat slowly and almost undetected. It beat whenever Serenity was near him lately. He punched the wall again, drawing blood from his fist. He brought the fist to his lips and licked the blood clean. His blood tasted like that of desperation, something he was used to tasting in the blood of his victims when they were at the peak of their lust for him. This was not something he expected from his own blood. He looked at himself in the mirror, just as he had done the day he had attacked and killed his secretary. He felt the same awful realization run through him as it had that day. He was a monster.

-

-

-

Serenity changed into another one of Zakura's outfits (tight fitting blue tank top and a black mini skirt) and walked around the house. No one seemed to be out in the halls, or the corridors. Serenity knew better than to go by the basement again, afraid for her sanity more than her life; though that held significance to her too. She wondered where she could find Shiori, and that led her to look around the castle-like mansion. Somehow, she wondered if she should just go out the front door. She did, and no one tried to detain her. This scared her a little, but the urge to see her brother overcame everything. She ran to the place she called home and burst through the door. The house was dark and she coughed on a dust cloud that emerged as she slammed the door behind her. It looked deserted, except for the small amount of noise she heard from the upstairs. As she ascended up the stairs, she heard the noise coming from her brother's door. She noticed there was no light streaming from underneath it, and was about to knock, when she decided to hell with it! She opened the door and turned on the light. The sight horrified her. Her brother lying on his bed, shirtless, with Mai on top of him. All she wore was her mini skirt, and her bra that looked as though it was about to come off before she entered. That was not what had horrified her though. Before she opened the light, she saw red gleams coming from Mai's eyes. Her brother, who was beneath Mai, did not look like he was enjoying himself at all. He was even thinner than she last saw him, his rib bones protruding from the pale, white skin. His eyes had bags that were so dark that she felt as if he had painted them on. The eyes in his head were not full of love, laughter and life anymore, but emptiness. He held no goofy smile, the way he usually did when he thought about Mai, but a grim line. Serenity gasped in horror and stepped back. Her brother looked as if he had just risen from the dead. Mai rose and spoke. Her voice was so full of hatred and cruelty that Serenity was sure if it was a weapon, she would've been dead.

"What are you doing here?" she snarled. "I thought I told you we didn't want you here, right Joe? Didn't you agree with me when I told you your sister was a good for nothing that should've died with your father?" Serenity stood rooted to the spot by the painful words, than shot a look at her brother.

_Joey no. Please, tell me you're still with me. Tell me something's seriously wrong here that I'm missing. _

"Sure," Joe said, his gaze never leaving Mai. It was then that Mai flipped her hair back and Serenity saw bite mark's embedded in her neck. They were barely visible, but she was sure they were that of a vampire. She stood up and threw Mai against the wall. She knew something was telling her to get out of there, but she didn't want to leave until she got some answers.

"What did you do to my brother?" Serenity snarled with such ferocity that even Joe, his eyes vacant, looked surprised. Mai did too, as she rose slowly.

"What makes you think I've done anything?" Mai smiled sweetly underneath her false innocence.

"Don't try to pretend," Serenity said, feeling much less brave than she appeared to be. Mai smiled sweetly, and to Serenity's horror, she saw fangs bear.

"You're pretty smart, I'll give you that," said a voice, which was not Mai's at all. "Well, I think I'll brighten your day a little bit. Your brother's girlfriend doesn't despise you at al. In fact," Mai said, fluffing her hair, "she's begging me to stop. She's trapped inside her own body, which I am controlling. I guess you could call me a puppet master." Serenity moved toward her brother, and picked up the pocket knife he always kept on his dresser. She brought the blade out and held it over her brother.

"Come closer and I'll kill him," she yelled, hoping her empty threat would spark fear in the puppet Mai's eyes. She saw nothing except a smirk.

"You wouldn't kill your own brother," Mai told her. "You love him too much. He's the only person in this world that loves you."

"No he's not,' Serenity retorted, "Somebody else does…"

"Seto Kaiba?" Mai asked, laughing as the final contents of color drained themselves from Serenity's face. "Oh come now girl, you didn't honestly think that the vampire king could feel anything toward you other than lust." Serenity didn't say anything; she was afraid her words would betray her if she did. Mai advanced toward her.

"I am surprised he has kept you, oh yes. But, have you noticed how all he wants is to take an innocent girl over and over? When you deny him, what else is there for him? I guess you're just too good in bed for your own good." Serenity thought of when she talked to Kaiba, she had bore her soul. She had listened when he had talked to her, and loved when he would bear a secret to her. She loved him so much; she would've died for him. But now, as the reality hit her so violently, she realized that she honestly had no hold over him. She had an unrequited love, and all he had was a sex partner. Tears welled in her eyes, but she couldn't stop them as they rushed like torrents down her face. But she wasn't here for Kaiba, and, with much difficulty, she shoved him away from her thoughts. She brought the knife to her throat.

"Take one move toward me and I'll do it. You need me for some reason, I know that.' For the first time, the very human emotion of fear flashed behind Mai's eyes. But it went so quick, Serenity wasn't sure if she had imagined it or not. She convinced herself that she had in fact seen it, and pressed the blade to her throat. She felt the pressure and the pain, but didn't care. Mai's smirk once again returned to her face.

"You won't do it, and I'll tell you why, since you yourself seem to have no idea. Kaiba has a hold on your heart, just like so many others. You'd rather die at his hands then at your own. And," she took a step closer, "You don't want to leave your brother with me. You wouldn't take your own life right here and right now Serenity." Serenity's hand shook so badly that the knife fell somewhere to the ground. Mai smirked.

"I told you," she said. "Now be a good girl and get out." Serenity attempted to bring her brother with her as she got up, but felt herself being held in his death grip instead. All his strength seemed to return at that moment, and as she looked in the mirror, she saw a maniac gleam in his eyes. She had honestly preferred the vacant one. Mai advanced upon them

"Good work my darling," Mai said, patting Joe on the head as if he were a dog. Serenity let out a snarl of disgust that resulted in an intense pain in her stomach. She looked down to discover that Mai had fond the knife she had dropped; and now three inches of it was buried in Serenity's skin. Mai put her face very close to hers.

"Get out right now, if you value your life or your brother's at all." She stood tall again. "Don't worry, I won't kill him. I haven't got the orders, but you on the other hand, might have to watch out if I 'accidentally' set your brother on you. Do you really want to die at his hands, of all people?" Serenity fell silent; the only sounds of her deep breathing and squeals of pain from her wound. She looked up into the cold eyes, knowing that there was not a person, but a monster beneath them.

"Who are you?" Serenity whispered, her voice barely audible. "I want to know, who you are and why you're doing this." Mai's face held a confused look; she obviously did not expect this. She leaned forward and wrenched Serenity from Joey's grasp, making no particular effort to be gentle. She brought her to the door, and before pushing her out into the cool night air, pulled her by the hair so they were face to face.

"I am closer than you think, my dear Serenity," she said, sarcasm and menace dripping from her voice. "I can assure you of that." And without another word she thrust Serenity into the cold night air.

-

Serenity didn't stay out, but ran back to Kaiba's home. She discovered that the door had not been locked, but open. Serenity felt that it was odd no one had bothered to lock the door behind her. Then again, no one probably knew she left. As she searched the mansion for someone, anyone, the wound in her stomach seemed to grow deeper. After her search came up empty, she decided to go back to her room, but voices outside a door caused her to stop. Because she knew this room, it was Kaiba's bedroom; and she knew those voices, they belonged to Shiori and Kaiba. She peeked through the crack in the door, neither seeming to acknowledge her presence.

-

-

-

"I am tired of telling you no," Kaiba said, each word seeming to fly out of his mouth like a dagger from an assassin's hand.

"And I told you I don't care. I love you too much **to** care." Kaiba waved off a wave of annoyance that threatened to choke him. Shiori had just come to him, and demanded that they talk. He looked at her and was in awe for a moment. She was beautiful, even for her. She wore a black, tight fitting dress, low cut and very short. Her hair flowed down to her back, mingling with the dress, both shades of black seeming to make her skin sparkle. Here eyes shone brighter and more seductive than ever. He felt his manhood straining, but he managed to keep the rest of him under control.

"Why? Why have you brought a human girl here? Why are you putting the clan, and her as well, at stake? One of us is going to slip and bite her, maybe even kill her!" Shiori was careful with her words, for she knew Serenity was watching. Kaiba, however, did not. He smirked.

"When was the last time you cared about anything but yourself and how to get the best orgasm you could from me?" Shiori knew she heard Serenity squirm, but didn't acknowledge this.

"Why do you turn me away?" Shiori asked. "I know you love to be in bed with me. I give you everything, you take it, and I receive nothing in return." Kaiba's eyes shifted; he was getting angry. Shiori suppressed the urge to smirk. She knew where she could corner him, and he knew that as well.

"Well, why do you let me into your bed so much? Do you feel that lonely? As I recall, you and I spent at least two nights together since you first met that girl." Kaiba straightened instantly, clear that he did not want to discuss it. Shiori stopped and turned herself into her true form. Her eyes, if possible, got brighter and her body suddenly seemed to glow. Her beauty was intoxicating.

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" Shiori asked, stepping closer to him. He stiffened. He did not answer.

"You are," she told him, her face hardening. "I can tell, I've known you too long Seto." Kaiba's mind seemed to have frozen. What she said to him did not send his gut the wrenching sensation of her being wrong. It was the complete opposite. Kaiba looked down, avoiding Shiori's eyes.

_I am,_ he thought to himself, gasping in disbelief, _I am. I'm in love with her. _

But he couldn't let anyone know that. Serenity's life would be in danger, not to mention everything else about her. And if anyone found out that he, the cold and heartless ruler of his clan, had a heart, and had given it to someone, the results would be disastrous. He must've stood in silence for a few minutes, because Shiori began tapping her foot.

"Well?" she said. The anger that ran through Kaiba was unlike anything he ever felt. All at once, he felt the change begin. His eyes glowed luminescent, and his fangs bore. He scooped Shiori into his arms and kissed her with such ferocity that he felt blood in his mouth. She returned it, but as he brought her down, he could hear her whimpering. He pulled his shirt off his chest and heard the rips, Shiori's dress was falling in tatters by her side. "So it isn't true," Shiori said smirking as she felt him come on to her. Then a look of pain graced her beautiful face.

"You're…hurting…me," she managed to grunt out, as her hands tried to push him off. But he would not stop. Her hands pushed with actual force now, but he wouldn't move. He didn't bother with the bite of seduction to ease her pain, he wanted her to feel it. Her eyes showed genuine fear now.

'Stop it! What's wrong with you? STOP!" Shiori's cries fell on deaf ears.

"Isn't this what...you wanted?" Kaiba asked with a pant, his hands running all over her body and leaving bruises because he was being so rough.

"Stop," Shiori pleaded, tears coming to her eyes.

"What fake tears," he whispered to her, than said loudly again, "Stop? No, I don't think I will." And he continued. Shiori knew all this would happen, though she didn't expect it to be so rough, but she continued.

"Stop…stop…stop it…stop i-"

"STOP IT!"

Kaiba rolled over and got up, his senses alert for danger. But when he set his eyes upon the doorway, he would've preferred a surprise attack. Serenity stood in the doorway, a blazing crimson liquid seeping from her stomach and all over her light blue shirt. But the look in her eyes, horror, disgust, maybe even betrayal? He moved toward her.

"Serenity, what happened to your-" he began reaching out his hand to her. She smacked it away with force, he could feel a sting slam his hand. He felt as if she had slapped him in the face.

"Don't touch me," she said. Her voice was laced with iciness, and even Serenity had to take a step back.

"You've lied to me. You have kept me against my will, and I hate you for everything." She said the last part so low, no one could've heard it, even if their ear was pressed to her mouth.

"What did you say?" he asked her, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I SAID I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU FOR EVERYTHING!" she yelled, almost sending both he and Shiori toppling to the floor. Her words froze him to his spot, he had heard them so many times before; never had they held such greater meaning.

"I'm leaving," Serenity said, and she turned to run. Kaiba reached out and grabbed her arm, causing her to struggle. He held tight, but something unexpected happened. Sh leaned forward with her other hand and smacked him, right across the face. He put his hand to his face, but that gave her enough time. She ran into the corridors, which she saw were coming to life and out into the cool night air. Last time she had been forced to go, this time she was willingly leaving. Tears streamed down her face. Love didn't exist for her in world in which she had been entrapped. She had nowhere to go. And suddenly, she heard a voice creep across her mind.

_You can always come here… _

Serenity stopped dead. If she hadn't been so distraught, she would've known that her next decision was truly one of pure insanity. But she didn't; instead she turned and ran toward the dark part of the city, knowing the only person who could give her refuge was also someone who could kill her that very night.

_But my life's not worth much, right? She thought to herself miserably. _

Her run turned into a sprint, and she slowly glided toward the darkness; for it had seemed to grasp her in its firm grip and was refusing to let her go.

-

-

-

**A/N: Wow, I just looked back and realized this chapter is very sensual Blame it on American Pie 2, cuz it was on mah TV! Okies, so pleez forgive me if u do not like some of the things that are going to happen. Don't flame, pleez! ;;**


	15. Away From You

Marik leaned against the wall of his room, which was also his whole apartment. It was a small place, clean but always bathed in darkness. Upon walking in, you would see a kitchen in the far corner (it was barely used), a door that led to a bathroom, a small table that could seat three at the most, and a mattress in the corner. It wasn't a paradise, but it was a good place for him. His whole clan lived in the whole apartment building, so it was easy for him to keep track of them. He had long ago made sure none of Kaiba's scum could come to the place where he lived, for if they came, they would meet warriors that were as greatly trained as his, but on their own property. It was a death wish to come when they had no idea what was held behind these walls. Marik was about to go to bed, when he heard a knock at the door. No one was aloud to answer the door but him, so he left his apartment, passed at least a dozen others, and opened the door. There stood Serenity. She clutched her stomach, but her hands couldn't hide the huge spot of blood that had pooled under it. The doorway was the only way she could've held herself up, so Marik took her in his arms and brought her to him. She did not protest, she either didn't mind or just didn't have the strength.

"I'm sorry…I have nowhere else to go," she told him, panting after every word. "But you told me…you told me…"

"Yes, I remember what I told you." He carried her like she was a doll, and brought her to his room. She was conscious enough to prop herself up while he opened the door. She nearly fell through the door way, but he propped her up against him. He brought her to the bed and laid her down.

"Such a wound," he told her, his hand tracing over it. "Who could've done this to you?" He pressed on it, causing her to cry out in pain.

"I'm sorry," he told her, and if she wasn't in delirium she would've known he wasn't as sorry as he sounded.

"It hurts," she told him, not knowing what else to say.

"I know," he said, feigning sympathy. His hand snaked up her shirt, examining the wound.

_She made it a little too deep, _he thought to himself. _Dammit Shiori! _

He started to bring the shirt over her head when he felt her hand stop him. Serenity looked at him with wide eyes.

"What…what are you…what are you doing?" she asked him softly, and despite her situation, a blush crept to her cheeks.

"Serenity, would you like to die?" he asked her. She looked as though she was about to say yes, then no, but instead said, "It doesn't matter to me."

"Well, I don't want anyone to think **I'm **a murderer." And with that he brought the blood stained tank top over her head. She wore a white bra, which were stained from the blood that had come from her wound. This peaked his interest for some reason. The white and red seemed to symbolize her purity and how badly stained it had become after meeting Kaiba. Her stomach still was spread with blood from the wound, and the rest of her seemed blood stained. He smirked, knowing that she wouldn't believe it if she saw it or not. He placed his head to her stomach and licked the drying blood away from the edges of the wound. He allowed his mouth to travel upward just below her breasts, and let the wonderful taste fill his mouth. He licked her clean, and she watched him in silence.

-

-

-

The one thing that registered in her cluttered mind at that moment was that she didn't mind what he was doing. It was helping her, but it was also soothing her. It made a feeling close to love alight in her body, and Serenity didn't care. The pain was still horrible, but her eyes never left him. He took her wrist and bit into it. The pain caused a small scream to escape her lips, and then she felt his hand cover her mouth.

"Shhh, don't speak. This is going to hurt, so I just want you to endure it." Without warning he plunged his fingers into the wound. Her scream echoed through his room, but she managed to hold it in when he took his fingers out. He licked the blood off of his fingers, and smiled.

"I'm sorry, couldn't resist." And he brought out some alcohol from beneath the bed. She expected to scream again, but instead she felt no pain as he poured the liquid onto her. She gave him a curious look, but she could barely see him through her hazy vision.

"The bite of seduction prevents you from feeling or moving," he told her. "I thought you'd remember it." And as before, she knew that she could no longer move her body. She watched him dress her wound and rip a large portion of his shirt sleeves. He wrapped them all the way around her tiny waist, and gently tied them as bandages.

"You should be fine in a few hours. What I poured on you wasn't alcohol, just something vampires use to close their wounds quickly."

She wanted to nod in agreement, but found she couldn't move her head. Memories of the last time he had used the bite of seduction came to her and made her relive nightmares she thought she had forgotten. The look in her eyes must have given her away, for when he looked at her again, he smirked.

"Don't worry; I don't plan to do anything to you." He gently moved her so that she had a pillow under her head.

"I don't have another room I can bring you to, so I guess you'll have to stay here." He yawned and brought his shirt over his head. His body fully exposed made Serenity wish she could turn her head for fear of embarrassment, but she couldn't move. He lay next to her.

"Look, I'm tired and I'm not sleeping on the floor. Good night." And with that he turned over and in mere minutes, he was asleep.

-

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-

Serenity woke to a gray morning, shivering from the sudden lack of warmth as the blanket fell off her body. She looked over and saw Marik' spot on the bed was empty. He was sitting on a chair about five feet away, watching her. They kept eye contact until she realized she was only in a bra, and brought the covers to her chin again. He laughed and took his own shirt off of his head. Serenity's eyes lingered a little longer than they should have, but she immediately put her head down otherwise. He threw his shirt to her and she caught it.

"Put that on, I don't have anything in here to offer you. Unless you want to go around like that, because I honestly won't mind." Marik smirked, but Serenity ignored it as she pulled the shirt over her head. She stood up and stretched. The shirt was so long on her, coming down a little past her knees. He was so tall; he seemed to loom over her. He stood and walked toward her, heat radiating from his bear upper body. She then noticed he had a small cup in his hand. It was holding crimson liquid, a very dark crimson liquid.

"Is that…blood?" Serenity asked, the nervousness in her voice evident.

"No," Marik said, a taunting grin coming to his face. "I wouldn't waste that on a human. It's something that's going to calm you down." He handed her the cup. When she took it from him, she realized what he meant by 'calming her down.' Her hands were shaking so badly that she barely could keep herself from dropping the cup. She sat on the bed and he sat next to her.

"It's okay, just relax." And he placed his fingers on the back of her neck in a controlling way. Serenity's eyes widened; where did she remember this from? But she didn't have anytime to think because at that next moment, Marik had taken the cup from her and made her drink its contents. Her vision seemed to go hazy, but she couldn't think too much about it, because she fell asleep. Marik laid the girl down on the bed, and then smiled at her sleeping form.

"I'm surprised you didn't remember that liquid Serenity, I mean, I gave it to you in that little 'dream world' of ours." And then maniacal laughter rang out from his mouth.

The small amount of liquid that was left at the bottom of the cup, the liquid that Serenity had now drunk twice, fell from her mouth. If anyone saw this, they would have thought that the beauty lying there, with pale skin and a blood-like substance dripping from her mouth, was a vampire princess. And beside her was her captor, who she clung to willingly and unwillingly.

-

-

-

Kaiba sat in his room, looking out the window. His heart beat had become non-existent to him again. He sent everyone in his clan that he trusted after Serenity, wherever she had gone. He hadn't eaten since the night before; not that it mattered so much, but he seemed to lose the will to live his immortal life. Zakura had checked on him every hour. He had sent her out with the others, but she alone stayed behind. Mokuba also needed caring, so now she was playing mother to both brothers. Every time she looked in on him and his sad, dejected state, pity filled her eyes. He hated being looked at like that. It was not something people looked at him with, but when it was directed toward him, he felt as if his soul was being exposed to the world. He hated that feeling.

_Serenity, where are you? _

His thoughts were on her so much now; it was as if he didn't exist before he met her. He felt that he honestly didn't, because she had given him a reason to exist. His existence was meaningless, merely a shadow of a life; it was an immortal shadow, but a shadow none the less. He looked at the world from a window, as if he were a prisoner longing for the outside. His gaze flew over the gray morning, and he felt sure if Serenity was by his side again, that light would emerge from somewhere. He thought of what she did to him, and the thoughts made an ache rise in him. It was like an ecstasy, a feeling of pure delight until he reached the darker side of things. The pain he got out of that was so intense that he thought he could die from it. Was this what love really felt like? Because if it did, he didn't know whether he'd be better off without it or not. It was something that he thought could eat away at him, until he was nothing but a weak version of himself. He felt the door creak open behind him, and he turned to see Zakura. The pity shone bright in her eyes, and she wasn't even bothering to hide it anymore.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice coming out harsher than he intended. She ignored the question and sat beside him.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently, the gentle look in her eyes reminding him of another gentleness that he had looked in not so long ago. And with that, he broke down. He didn't cry, and no sobs were heard. All he did was put his face in his hands, letting a defeated demeanor take over his body. Zakura reached over and patted him on the shoulder, as if she were his own mother. He didn't reach out and take her hand, but he didn't push her away either.

"I love her Zakura," he told her, his voice losing its edge and making him sound almost human. That didn't come as to much of a surprise to her.

"I know you do."

-

-

-

Serenity woke and watched the world go by through a small apartment window, because she had been forbidden to wander outside of Marik's apartment. Being restricted to a small room was something that she used to, so she didn't exactly argue. And since the area where Marik lived couldn't exactly be called safe, she was somewhat grateful for the extra protection. But being alone brought memories to her that she wasn't ready to deal with yet. Kaiba.

She lay down on the bed again, and hugged a pillow to her. The way he had attacked Shiori had scared her. Serenity knew that he was provoked, she wasn't blinded to that, but she was still scared. Kaiba could have done that to her, and the way he acted, that was his true nature. She wasn't scared of him as a person, but of what he was otherwise. And that wasn't a good thing, because what he was otherwise was his whole self. It was something that he was, a part of him that he could never be rid of. To love, you had to love everything about someone. She did, but the night before had shaken her. Her thoughts then went to her brother and Mai. She could never see him again. He wasn't her brother anymore; he probably wasn't even alive anymore. And Mai…

Serenity's hatred didn't burn for Mai, but who had done that to her. She was now a puppet, and Serenity knew, though she didn't want it to be true, that there was no reversal for what had happened. And the fact that she could have died from her wound didn't make it any better. She winced; even talking about the stab wound to her stomach was enough to make it hurt. She lifted the long shirt to reveal bandages stained by blood. It wasn't a huge amount, but enough to show that she had been seriously injured. Marik had made sure that she didn't die, but she didn't exactly know why. The fact that he had seen her half naked didn't exactly ease her worries. She thought back to the night before, and the memories had caused her to blush, yet feel disgusted with herself. She thought back to earlier that morning, he had given her a shirt, and then…

She couldn't remember past that. Though, she was tired, and she was pretty sure all that happened was that she fell asleep again. She looked in the mirror and saw her skin had gone so pale that it was as if she had been exposed to a harsh cold without proper clothing. And something was trickling from her mouth. She wiped it so that a red streak now spread across the back of her hand.

_I was sick, I guess it would make sense for me to cough up blood. _

But even though she had convinced herself of that, an uneasiness wouldn't lift itself from Serenity's stomach.

-

Serenity was asleep when Marik came back. She woke to find him standing over her, watching.

"How long have you been there?" she asked him, pushing herself up. He smirked.

"Not long," he said, sitting beside her. More uneasiness crept into her, but she ignored it.

"Kaiba's scum are looking for you," he told her. "He's got some of his best trained searching. But I don't want them to find you, yet." The way he said it almost made Serenity shudder. As if it was a murderer talking to his victim.

"Are you hungry?" he asked her. Serenity knew she was probably starving, but the events that had happened to her had rid her of the will to eat. Because to eat meant that you had the will to live another day, and that was something that she didn't have. Serenity had her head down, so she didn't see the maniac gleam and smirk appear on Marik's face. He went to the fridge and pulled out a flask. He took two wine glasses from somewhere in the kitchen, and poured the liquid into the glass. It looked to dark to be wine, but she didn't voice her opinion. He downed his so quickly; it was as if he needed it to live.

"At least join me for a drink," he said, offering her the glass he had poured for her.

She would've said no, but when her eyes set upon the liquid, a feeling of familiarity struck her. Where had she seen it before? It was calling her, she could feel it. She was like an addict suffering from withdrawal, and she would've done anything to have it at that moment. He handed the glass to her, and with trembling hands, she drank its contents. She felt her world go hazy, just as it had done two previous times. She wasn't aware of that, but she was aware of the fact that she had let go of the glass, her hands' trembling so intense. She heard the glass break, and as she began to bend down to pick up the pieces, she felt herself fall into a pitch black sea.

-

-

-

Marik caught Serenity before she fell, but her arm made a violent contact with the floor. Glass shards were embedded in it, and he picked them out slowly as he laid her down on the bed again. She seemed to be going there quite a lot. He covered her and put the bottle back. His smirk only widened.

"Bottled temptation," he said, drinking some of the liquid from the bottle. "Poor Serenity, you have no idea what you're in for." He looked over at the sleeping girl on the bed, and his smirk widened more. He looked truly insane, and if she had awoken, she would've screamed. He looked like something out of a nightmare. He walked over and kissed the sleeping girl, the ferocity almost overpowering her helpless state. She squirmed in her sleep, and a single word escaped her lips.

"Se…to," she said, and he saw tears fall from her sleeping eyes. His smirk vanished, replaced by a hard line.

He stared at the darkening day, morning turning to afternoon, and spoke to it.

"Kaiba, I'm going to send you to hell and back. And maybe I'll make it a little more painful along the way." He kissed the sleeping Serenity once more before he got up and walked out the door, going to meet Shiori.

-

-

-

Zakura left Kaiba's room so he could rest, which she had persuaded him to do after much talking. She made some food, and brought it to Mokuba. He was sitting up, reading a book. The bandage had disappeared from his head, but he was still badly bruised.

"How are you Mokuba?" she asked him, placing the food on his side table.

"I'm fine Zakura, you don't have to treat me like I'm going to break," he snapped. Ever since his injury, Mokuba had started acting more like his brother when it came to being pitied. Zakura couldn't help but smile at it. Mokuba calmed down quickly after that, enough to put some food in his mouth.

"Here," Zakura told him, handing him a vial with a look of pure disgust on her face. "I took it from the emergency cabinet. It was taken from two different humans, so it's pretty strong. You won't be able to hunt for a while, so this will sustain you until then." Mokuba smiled and took the bottle from her. She turned her head as he drank the contents. When he was done, she took the bottle and placed it in her pocket.

"Anything new about Serenity?" Mokuba asked, his conversational tone masking his curiosity. Zakura shook her head.

"No," she said, her voice sad, "But I'm really worried."

"Well, she ran off before," Mokuba said, trying to ease her fears.

"But what happened after that? I know she didn't go home, you could tell by looking at her. Something's very wrong." Mokuba was starting to worry himself; Zakura's voice usually was very calm in situations like this. Then again, they had never experienced a situation like this before.

"Your brother's in love with her," Zakura said, stating this as if it was something that had always been. Maybe it was.

"I don't think he'll stop until he finds her," Mokuba said, and Zakura nodded.

"I think Shiori's got something to do with this." Mokuba turned quickly and looked at Zakura. Here eyes were she in resolve; she was serious.

"You can't prove it."

"Why not?"

"Because if you could, you would've already. And what makes you so sure." Zakura told Mokuba everything that had happened in the underground, and just as she knew would happen, his eyes widened.

"Are you sure?" Zakura nodded.

"And I heard her talking to someone in her room the other day. I didn't hear the whole conversation, but I did hear her mention…it." Mokuba's eyes widened.

"Bottled Temptation?" Mokuba whispered, and Zakura nodded.

"But that's forbidden, my brother's going to murder her."

"It's not her," Zakura said, and her face grew even paler. "I don't think she knows it, but she's being used, she's just a pawn. A deadly pawn, there's no denying that, but there's greater manipulation behind this."

There was silence after Zakura's words.

"Mokuba, I don't know anything about 'bottled temptation,' but your brother tells you everything. I know you know about it. Can you please tell me what it does?" Mokuba's fist clenched his hands, but then he nodded.

"I'll tell you everything."

-

-

-

The afternoon soon turned to night, and Serenity ended up sleeping the day away. She dreamed that she was in a place where no one could hurt her. And when she turned around, there was Kaiba, holding out his hand to her. Love filled her, but then so did the other memories of fear and betrayal. She knew she had no right to feel betrayed, when she had never really held his heart in the first place, but she still felt that way anyway. So, she reached out to him, and took his hand into her two. She felt her body start to melt, like it did every time he touched her. She looked up, only to see the vampire staring down on her. She struggled, but his hands clutched her to him.

"I thought you loved me," he whispered.

"I do…I do…but, I'm scared of you. It's more than what you are, I'm scared of everything. I'm…"

Her words fell away as she felt a kiss touch her lips. Tears fell down her face, and when she pulled away, she saw the vampire in him emerge. And his fangs bore.

"I want you," he told her, and his head began to inch toward her neck. She couldn't move.

"I'd do anything for you. Anything…but… but…"

-

In her sleep, Serenity started crying. She didn't wake up, but her sobs could be heard. Away from her, Kaiba laid in his bed, looking up at the darkening ceiling. He clutched at his heart, or where it would have been if Serenity hadn't taken it with her wherever she had gone.

He was away from her.

She was away from him.

And neither could even begin to know the depth of the others pain.

-

-

-

**A/N: WOW, I'm sry I haven't updated in a while! Last chapter was kinda hard to follow up on. I know I'm leaving you with an evil cliff hanger, but soon you'll all kno wut 'bottled temptation' is all about. I'm warning everyone, there will be suicide and stuff that's going to make you wanna scream (no not that way you perverts!) in the next few chapters, but I just hope u will all bear with me! Once again, thanx to everyone who likes and reads my fic!**


	16. Sleeping with the enemy

WOW! I'm sorry it takes me so long to update! I love all you people who love to read my fic! I promise I'll acknowledge everyone personally in the next chapter, cuz rite now, I'm juss too tired.

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Mokuba clenched and unclenched his fists, but when he looked at the woman the he loved, he lost all his resolve to keep his secret. He loved her, and she didn't have a clue. But, he knew what she would say. At that moment, Mokuba looked Zakura over. She wore a maid outfit, and her eyes shimmered. She looked beautiful, but he knew this wasn't the time to think about her.

"Bottled temptation," Mokuba began, "was something that my brother and Marik made when Marik was still in the clan. They weren't exactly close, but they were both the most powerful. They created this… I don't even know what you could call it. I don't know how you make it, he wouldn't tell me, but they did it. It's basically something that can save a vampire the trouble of hunting; a blood substitute. It's also supposed to give you a power boost, if you ever need it. But, to use it, there is a terrible price. It's addictive as hell, and if you take it more than a certain number of times, you can't go living without it. You basically go insane, and you lose all sense of reason. Regular blood just won't do it for you anymore. I do know that to make it, you need to put some of yourself into it." Mokuba stopped and looked into Zakura's eyes.

"Can a vampire bleed?" he asked her. She knew that he wasn't really asking as if he didn't know; he was asking so she could understand something he would tell her later.

"Only if we're seriously injured or if we're too in touch with our emotions," Zakura answered instantly. All vampires knew this the minute they were turned. Mokuba sighed and continued.

"Like I said, you have to put some of yourself into it. And by bleeding your own vampire blood, you seal the deal. It's usually mixed with wine, since that's a vampire fetish. No matter the color, it always turns blood red. You basically drink yourself, and you give yourself strength. But it takes away from you in the end. It will destroy you, piece by piece. You have to drink it every day, or else you could die." Zakura's eyes widened in horror. For a vampire to bleed was nearly impossible, and extremely painful to the point of almost dying. And to do that for power…..No wonder it was forbidden.

"But, that doesn't sound so bad," Zakura said. She knew it was awful, but there was something else that he wasn't telling her; she could see it in his eyes. He put his hands to his face, sighed, and began to talk again.

"You can tie someone to you unwillingly with that stuff. If you feed it to somebody, and they drink it enough times, they can be yours to control. It's nothing like the blood bond ceremony. With that, two people willingly decide that they want to be tied to each other for all eternity. With this, its completely one sided. You probably wouldn't know if you were being tied until it's too late. That's why it was banned. Too many people could be spies or assassins, and you wouldn't even know it. You could be forced to kill your best friend or the person you love most in the whole world." Zakura sat in shocked silence for a few minutes.

"So, you're telling me that to make the Bottled Temptation, you need to bleed for it?"

"Yes," Mokuba answered.

"And you basically drink your own blood, and it gives you strength and power, while at the same time pulling you into a deadly addiction?"

"Yes."

"And you're telling me that by feeding somebody some of it, if **you've** put your own blood into it and made it yourself, you can control them?"

"That's right," Mokuba answered. They sat in more silence, until Zakura spoke again.

"What happens to a human if they drink it?" Zakura asked.

"A human can't handle the effects, and they usually fall into blackouts; which is basically like a deep sleep. Everything that happens shortly before, during, or after the time when they drank the bottled temptation all appears to be a dreamlike state, and you can't remember any of it after you wake up. But if they drink it enough, they become used to it, and then they become puppets. Basically, they can bend to the will of the person who can control them. It has the same effect of almost sucking them dry and controlling their life force (**A/N: What Shiori did to Mai), **but your "puppet" will never run out of strength. You control their lives, the only thing you couldn't do before that you can do now is control how they age and live their lives forever."

"Can you get rid of the effects?" Zakura asked, her voice very small now. Mokuba paused.

"The only way is if you kill the person who sealed you with their blood. Or if they die on their own. Either way, they have to die for you to be free of them. That is the only way." Zakura looked up, and he eyes were shining with almost tears.

"What if something happens that none of us can handle?" Zakura looked as if she was about to sob, but she held it back and stood tall.

"I have to go," Zakura said, and as she turned to leave, Mokuba grabbed her arm.

"Zakura, I love you." The silence that was originally bearing down on them was now so heavy that Mokuba felt as if it could fall on them and crush them. Zakura didn't look at him.

"You shouldn't say that to me. I'm older than you."

"Age stopped mattering long ago," he retorted, no matter if they were counting their age in the thousands or in the single digits, he wouldn't have cared. He had learned to love without a heart, as a monster, and that alone was an achievement in itself. He'd do anything for her. Zakura turned to look at him, tears falling freely now.

"It's impossible," she told him, and watched as he got up to stand level with her. Had he always been taller? He probably had been, but she never noticed because she looked down on him as a boy. Now she looked up at a man. He brought his hand up to her cheek.

"I think Serenity told herself that everyday, and even though she looked like she was going through hell, she would still stay by my brother's side. He was the coldest man on earth Zakura, heartless and cold blooded. But now he's in love with her. And there are too many obstacles in their way to name. Do you think our situation's more impossible then theirs?" Zakura couldn't say that it was. Instead she looked away. Mokuba redirected her head so that they were face to face.

"I hope they'll be alright," Zakura told him in a whisper. Mokuba kissed the salty tears finding their way down her cheek. She didn't push away. Mokuba put his hands together as if he were going to pray, something he had never done in his whole life. He figured he had no right, but better late then never always counted in his book.

_Dear God, _

_Please let everything work out the way it should. _

-

-

-

Serenity woke and winced, as she had just turned over on her arm. She lifted it to see that it was bandaged up to her elbow. The night shone bright before her, as a watch in the corner read 3 AM.

"What happened?" she whispered, but knew that no one could hear her. The dream that she had just left still played through her mind. She was in Kaiba's arms, completely safe. She gasped as an ache filled the chasm in her chest, which was where her heart was torn. Yes, she was afraid, and yes; she knew where she was now wasn't going to ease her fears at all. But, was she ready? Was she ready to face the truth? That she had fallen in love so quickly, she hadn't begun to think about the logic of the situation.

_But love isn't about logic, _she told herself. _It just is. _

She had been away from him for a short period of time, a few days. But she felt as if with each passing moment, she was losing him. She wanted to go back to him. He could heal her broken heart better than anyone, for he was the one who knew how to put the pieces that he had broken back together.

-

-

-

Marik and Serenity met in the dark part of the city. Shiori was supposed to be searching for Serenity on Kaiba's orders, and that was exactly what she was doing. Just not in a way he would have approved. Marik stood tall in front of her. Even though it was late night, she wouldn't be allowed back until the sun rose. So arranging this meeting was easy enough.

"Where's Serenity?" she asked the minute she saw him.

"She's fine," he told her.

"That doesn't answer my question," she told him. He ignored her and spoke of other matters.

"Has Kaiba killed you yet?" Shiori didn't answer.

"I'm standing before you, aren't I?" she said after a few minutes.

"Yes, but once Kaiba clears his head, he's going to be very angry. And I must advise that you not be in sight, because you might get hurt." Shiori cursed him under her breath.

"Why did you call me here?" she asked him.

"I want you to see if you can tap into Kaiba's pain. As I recall, you seemed to be the one who helped him forget that he was lonely before Serenity came into the picture." Shiori fumed at his words.

"I want to kill her so much," Shiori said. As the words left her throat, she felt a hand enclose around her throat. It finally registered that it was Marik's.

"If you lay one hand on her, I will kill you." In the middle of a park, on a relatively sunny day, Shiori felt her breath leave her as the hand around her throat tightened.

"I…I can't…I…"

"Can't breathe?" Marik asked her. "Well, just remember my words." And he threw her to the ground. Shiori coughed as oxygen entered her lungs again. She looked at him again, and saw the maniac gleam. It wasn't right, almost unnatural. And the fact that unnatural was something she dealt with every day, something that she was; that in it self scared her. Marik turned away.

"I have to go back," he told her.

"Marik!" she called after him. "What about the girl and the brother? They're running out of strength, both of them are going to die soon! What are you planning to do?" Marik didn't turn when he answered.

"Soon," was all he said before he walked away from her.

-

-

-

Serenity's gaze was still transfixed on her arm when Marik walked through the door. He looked down on her, the fallen angel. She sat up when she heard him enter, her eyes following him as he wandered around. There was no lamp light, and Serenity was only illuminated by the light of the full moon streaming through the windows.

"I-" she began, but was cut off when he approached her with a bottle of liquid.

"Are you thirsty?" he asked her. And he held the whole bottle out. She took a sip, willing to finish what she was going to tell him, but she stopped. She had only taken a small amount, but the taste filled her mouth with an unknown familiarity.

"I…I want to...go ba-," but she stopped and drank more from the bottle, as if her life was depending on it. Serenity let the liquid fill her mouth over and over. A dizzy feeling soon overcame her and her vision became hazy, but like the many times before, she did not fall asleep. Marik's wicked smirk came to his face.

"You're hooked," he mumbled, but not without her hearing. She turned, slightly swaying, to face him.

"What…did you do to me?" she asked slowly. Marik let out his evil cackle, and Serenity shrunk back, as if he would kill her.

"I just offered you a drink," he told her, his tone betraying his words. He then faced her.

"Do you love me?" he asked her suddenly. Serenity choked on the last amount of liquid she was drinking.

"Wha…what are you-" she stuttered, not even being able to get all her words out.

"I don't love you," Marik told her. "But I'd like to hear you say you love me."

Serenity's world whirled. She knew she didn't love him at all. Saying it could easily be a lie, but she felt as if that would be the ultimate betrayal. To Kaiba, and to herself.

"I don't-" she began.

"I know you don't," he told her. "I just want to hear you say it."

"I can't say it when I don't feel it," she told him, her voice getting smaller and smaller. His smirk widened.

"Then I'll just have to make you feel it." And he snapped his fingers. Serenity suddenly felt her feet move until she stood directly in front of him. But she herself hadn't moved.

_What is going on? _

Marik took his shirt and lifted it over his head, his tan figure gleaming in the moonlight. He truly looked beautiful, but the horrible look in his eyes kept him from perfection.

"I want to fuck you," he told her, the blunt statement sending waves of emotion throughout her body.

"NO!" she yelled, but her body was now moving on its own.

"You better be quiet, or I'll rid you of your ability to speak," he told her. "Now say you want me." Serenity didn't say anything, but a second later she felt her mouth speak words she herself would never say.

"I want you," she told him. He smirked again.

"Good girl," he told her. "Now strip for me." She began to shake her head, but instead her arms slowly reached the bottom of her shirt and she pulled it up over her head. She stood there, only in her bra and panties, screaming inside her head. She felt herself move forward, and her hand gently pushing him back on the bed. She kissed his throat gently, all the time wishing that she could pull back.

"What did you do?" she asked him, panting. Instead of answering, he rolled over so that he could be on top of her. Despite any situation, he always wanted to be the one in a position of power. He looked down at the small girl, enjoying the look of pure fear on her face. He kissed her ferociously, not caring if it was one sided or not. Because she was his now, a love slave to a lust hungry man.

"Stop, please," she said to him when he pulled away, but he did not listen to her. Instead he reached under her, unsnapping the bra she wore.

"Pull it off for me," he told her, and though she did not want to, she obeyed. She was left exposed to the cool air and the heated man above her. He looked down at her breasts, and then whispered into her ear,

"You look so pure." He brought his head down to her neck, lavishing kisses from her throat to her breasts. She managed to look away, heat coming to her face. She tried so hard to ignore the fact that even though her heart wasn't with him, her body was reacting to his advances very differently. She felt his hand reach up and grab her breast, and a gasp of pleasure escaped her lips. He smirked at her.

"Say you love me," he told her, his voice dark and twisted. She kept her mouth shut, but felt his hand reach up and grab her hair. He forced her eyes to look at him, and she couldn't help herself; a second later, she was crying.

"Say it," he ordered her. And the tears came more quickly now. She shook her head no, but then felt her mouth start to move.

"I…love you," she said. And she felt the gasps escape her lips, the tears coming in torrents down her cheeks. Marik ignored her pain, and put her hands to his belt.

"Do it," he ordered her. And through the pain and the tears, she saw her hands work unwillingly, pulling his pants down so that he was only in boxers. He gripped her tight, violently kissing her. She felt bruises forming on her lips and her arms, and anywhere else that he held her. She remembered her last sexual experience, and the tears came at a more violent speed. The sobs had stopped though, leaving her looking like a crying doll. Kaiba, though lusting after her every time, had held her with gentle intensity, trying not to hurt her. Marik didn't even try to shield her from the pain. Marik looked down on the girl again, and she felt the tight grip on her loosen.

"I don't want to rape you," he told Serenity. "But tell me, am I hurting you now? Because if I am, wouldn't it just be easier to go along with me on this?" Serenity hurt all over from where he had touched her, but even through the delirium of the pain mixed with the delirium of the bottled temptation, she was surprisingly clear headed. He reached down and left love bites on her neck, stopping to leave a particularly long one just above her breast. Then he stared at her, a seemingly gentle smirk coming to his lips.

"I'll make you a deal, we can do this willingly, with you giving me your all, or I make you do this so many times, you won't be able to walk from being so sore. I'll use you so many times, and by the time I'm done, there will be nothing left. It isn't rape if you're willing, right?" He leaned closer to her, if that was possible, and whispered, "If you want, you can pretend I'm Kaiba. Would that make you feel better?" The mere mention of Kaiba's name made the tears, which were now diminishing from Serenity's face, come back with such intensity that Marik had to wipe them with his hands before he could let her speak.

"What do you say?"

Never had Serenity hated herself so much. She knew that she was in a dangerous place, with a dangerous person. And now it left her with a decision that she would've rather died over than made.

"Choose now," he ordered her. And she felt more tears come down her face. She didn't want to be used; she didn't want to be a rape victim when she wasn't even able to fight back.

_It isn't rape if you're willing, right? _

The words ran through her head over and over. And she made her choice.

_Forgive me Kaiba. Please, please forgive me. Please… _

Serenity, her own self in control of her body, reached up and hugged Marik to her.

"Take me," she said, her voice threatening to crack under her sorrow. Marik smirked, and pulled her panties down. Serenity blushed, but willed herself to look at him.

Marik ignored the crying girl beneath him, and turned. Serenity watched in wonder as he changed to his vampire shape.

"You're beautiful," she told him, the words disgusting her though she knew she spoke the truth. He smirked at her. And then he took her.

-

-

-

Kaiba woke suddenly; sweat trickling from every pore in his body. It had taken him so long to fall into a troubled sleep, but waking up so suddenly wasn't right.

He looked at the clock on his bedside table; 4:00 AM was staring back at him in huge red numbers. For some reason, he felt as if he were experiencing pain, but from a distance. It was as if it was someone else's pain, someone else's suffering. And then a pair of honey eyes filled his mind.

-

-

-

It was over after some time. But to Serenity, it felt like an awful eternity. Marik stood at the foot of the bed, pulling on his clothes. Serenity was too hurt to move; while he made love to her, it was as if her were devouring her alive. She wrapped herself up in the sheets, leaving nothing exposed. She felt too ashamed to look at her own body; she felt as if she were broken, beyond hope of being fixed.

Marik glanced back at the girl. Ever since he had finished with her, she had lied in bed. She wrapped herself so that all he saw was a beautiful face coming out of an extremely tight fitting blanket cover. She held the sheets so tightly around her; it looked as if even if the sheets were loosened in the slightest, she would fall apart. As if it was keeping her together. She had not stopped crying either. Tears had not stopped flowing, and he had given up trying to get her to stop.

"You can cry your life away, but I'll leave you alone to do that," and with that, he walked out the door and left her. Serenity did not acknowledge this, for she was too absorbed in her own self pity. She was about to fall into a troubled sleep, she heard the door open again.

"What do you want?" she asked without looking up. "Haven't we you done enough?" she asked in a smaller voice.

"I thought of one last thing I could give you," she heard the cold voice say. "Come with me."

The last time she had heard those words, Serenity had unknowingly fallen into a web of lies. And now there she lay, the helpless, broken victim.

"No, I don't want to go anywhere," she told him.

"You don't want to see anybody?" Marik asked in a sing song voice. Serenity thought of anyone she loved, especially the one she loved most, seeing her like this. She cried again. Suddenly, she felt arms encircle her waist through the sheets.

"Don't you want to see your lover?" he whispered in her ear.

Serenity would never want Kaiba to see her like this. Broken, confused, and in the arms of another.

"No, let me go!" she told him. "Please," she started begging, but she didn't care how pathetic she sounded. "I don't want him to see me like this, please." Her cries fell on deaf ears. She felt the familiar sensation of disappearance, and then they were gone.

-

-

-

Kaiba had always been one to follow his instincts. And when Serenity had crossed his mind, he had sat up in bed. He had thought about her for hours, not moving at all. Then he heard it. A slow knock. He didn't plan on getting up to answer it, until he heard the voice of someone that made is blood run cold.

"Kaiba I know you know it's me," Marik said through the thick wood of the door. "And I must say, you have no manners. And after I brought this present all this way too." And then he heard another voice. One that made him stop dead.

"No, STOP! LET ME GO!" It was Serenity. Kaiba got out of bed and slammed open the door. The sight before him as enough to make him retch his stomach's contents. Marik held her from behind, both arms linked in a chain around her stomach. Serenity's eyes showed that she had been crying for a very long time, and tears still ran down her face. Her arms were the only thing exposed, and she held them in an "X" over her chest. Her arms were bruised, and she refused to meet his eye. Kaiba's concern for her was over shadowed by the rage that was boiling over inside of him.

"What did you do?" Kaiba asked through clenched teeth. Marik smirked.

"I intend to do more," Marik told him. And he moved Serenity's arms violently away from her chest, revealing the huge bite mark he had left on her collar bone.

"You should learn how to take better care of your woman Kaiba. Someone else could take her if you don't." With that, Marik shoved her forward and disappeared. Serenity felt his words trickle across her mind.

_We're not done yet. _

Serenity shivered, but then realized that she was in Kaiba's arms. The last place she wanted to be at that moment. He had closed the door behind them, and when she heard the click, she pushed him away. Not out of anger, but out of disgust for herself. But after she did, he held her in his embrace once again.

"No," she told him, trying and failing to get away, "Don't."

"I'm not letting you go," he told her, hoping her struggling would cease. "Just talk to me. Tell me everything, or I'll force it out of you."


	17. The Ultimate Betrayal

"Tell you the truth?" Serenity said to him, relaxing just a little in his firm embrace. But she crossed her arms over her chest in an "x." She knew he had already seen the bite mark Marik had left on her, and that strengthened her resolve to hide it even more. Serenity turned to face him, but put her head down at the last second. She couldn't look into his eyes.

"You wanna know the truth? Well, the truth is that you scared the shit out of me. Even if I love you, I'm still a human. And a human knows fear. And because of my fear, I got entrapped in a web of lies, and that ended with the me you see here before you."

"I don't accept that answer," he told her after a few moments of dead silence. She still had not looked at him.

"Well that's the only answer I can give you," she told him. She felt his grip on her arms tighten, and suddenly she was pinned against the bed. As she felt her body hit the softness of the mattress, her eyes met with his. How long did she stare into the depths of his cold eyes? One minute? One hour? She didn't know. But looking into them made her betrayal surface in her own mind, and she once again looked away.

"How come you won't look me in the eye?" he asked her, a savage tone coming to his voice. He was pinning her down so hard; she felt new bruises form among the old ones.

"I can't," she told him lamely. He pulled her face to face his, but she had tightly shut her eyes. His tone now dropped so that he was whispering to her.

"What did he do to you?" he asked her. Suddenly visions of the last few hours flew into her mind, and then she started shaking. She was shaking so violently; Kaiba would have been a fool not to notice. And he did.

"He **did **do something. What was it?" he asked her again. She didn't answer, but she started whimpering.

-

-

-

Kaiba felt his stomach drop. She couldn't have been…? There was no way… And yet the signs were all there. She was bruised all over. She had bite marks all over her. She was completely naked except for the sheets that separated her skin from the air. But yet…

"I won't accept any answer until I know what he did to you!" he told her, on the verges of shouting.

"Stop, your hurting me," she told him, and he realized that he had indeed tightened his grip. But he didn't care.

"He fucked you, didn't he?" he whispered into her ear. He said it in such a cold way, and he could feel more hurt piling onto her. He hated himself, but at that moment, for the first time in his life, Kaiba had discovered jealousy. And, having never handled it before, he did not know what to do. So rage consumed him instead.

"No!" she said, a little too quickly in her denying.

"You're lying," he told her, not as a question, but as a fact. And he let his true nature free.

-

Serenity gazed at the beautiful being above her, trying not to think of how many times she had seen it. But when she had seen it, she wasn't as terrified or disgusted. Marik was also…beautiful. She tried to wrench away from his grasp again, but he held on so tightly that she thought her circulation could have been cut off. And then she felt his hand reach up and pull her arms away from her chest, revealing the bite mark. Serenity felt like crying; that was mark of making love to another man, a sign of possession. Unexpectedly, he smirked.

"Did he do that to you?" he asked, his voice so low, but so strong that it frightened her. "Did he make you his?" Serenity shook her head, but then his hand lowered to try to pull the sheets off of her.

"No!" she cried, but he was too strong for her.

"Did he pull your clothes off like this?" Kaiba asked, pulling the sheet cocoon away, revealing the top half of her body to him. She had crossed her arms over her chest, but that didn't stop her shaking. She hadn't seen him this intense before.

"Are you going to tell me anything?' he asked her. When she didn't so anything, he crashed his lips into hers. It was so fierce and painful; she could taste blood in her mouth. He pulled away, continuing to her neck. And the memories came. A stranger… No, not a stranger. Then enemy; the enemy's body was on top of hers. The unfamiliarity was enough to make her sick, but she didn't pull away. Because the thought of being used over and over had made her so sick, she knew that she would want to kill herself over it.

"Don't bother with explanations," he told her coldly. "I can smell his scent all over you." Now she knew she couldn't deny it.

But what could she say? There was nothing to say, because it wasn't rape if you were willing. His words had not left her mind yet.

_It isn't rape if you're willing. _

_We're not done yet. _

Serenity felt herself falling through the darkness in herself, and then reality hit her once again.

"NO!" she yelled, tears coming from her eyes. "No more! Don't do what he did, please don't!"

-

-

Kaiba looked down on his crying lover with pity. He had gotten the answer he had wanted, but he knew that maybe he had gone to far. Who would want to relive a nightmare like that? And yet that was what he had done to her. He rolled off of her and took his shirt off. He offered it to her, and after a few moments, he felt her trembling hand take it from him.

"Go to sleep," he told her. "I'll just sleep on the floor. You've been through enough tonight." But before he could lie on the ground, he heard her sobs from behind him.

"I'm sorry," he heard her say as he turned to face her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so dirty now. I never meant to betray you. I love you, but I didn't mean it, I…I really didn't." And her words were lost in her sobs. Kaiba looked directly at her, taking in her words. Then, unexpectedly, he felt anger surge through him.

"Why are you apologizing?" he told her savagely. "If he raped you, that doesn't change anything of what I can feel. All that makes me feel is that I want to kill him even more than I originally wanted to." But she shook her head.

"I…held him…in my arms," she said, her words barely audible through her sobs.

"I don't care! Did you enjoy it?" he yelled at her, "Because from what I can tell, you didn't at all! You look so hurt and torn, and you expect me to believe it's not all his fault?"

"I…slept with him," she said, her voice coming and going in tone. "I …didn't fight him. I…did things-"

"And he probably scared you half to death," he told her, cutting her off. "I already told you, my feelings won't change because of rape-"

"BUT IT WASN'T RAPE!" she yelled catching him off guard with her sudden tone. He looked directly into her eyes, and she flinched, but didn't look away. Tears were still coming down her face, and he felt like she could crumple at any moment. Broken was the word he would use for her.

"It…wasn't rape," she told him, more mellow now. "Because…because… because I did it willingly."

-

-

-

Kaiba felt as if he had heard a crack, and that began the shattering of his world. Willingly? But, before any emotions could hit him, he looked at Serenity again. She was still crying, and once again, begging for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry," she told him. "I really am. I'm so sorry." Without questioning himself at all, Kaiba reached out and gathered her into his arms. He heard her breath catch as her head hit his chest, and he was overwhelmed by the need to remind her to breathe.

"Can you tell me the truth?" he asked her. Serenity's answer came slowly. Looking at her, rape was the only thing that could've happened, yet she denied it and made it sound consensual. But something had disturbed her so much that he knew that she was going through after-rape recollection. He had seen his clan members after they had raped a human every once in a while, and he usually observed the victim before she died. He could see Serenity, as she was right now, in every one of their faces. But, he knew despite everything, she would be truthful to him. He just wanted her reassurance.

"About anything," she reassured him.

"What was going through your mind?" Serenity's small hand clutched at his shoulder, but she knew she had to answer. How could she describe all the pain? All the hurt? The betrayal and the heartache. And the sickening feeling of desire. But was that all? No…there was something else. Something deeper, something she herself probably wasn't aware of at the time.

"I…I pretended he was you," she told him, finally letting out a breath against his chest. "I pretended that everything was alright again, and that you were holding me. I pretended everything was alright, and that we were together again." Her sobs had lessened, and he held her tighter. She didn't move to embrace him back, but he knew that she couldn't.

"You're not sorry," he told her. "You can't be sorry Even if you were willing, don't be sorry. Because it wasn't your fault." Serenity stopped and looked up at him. He stared with equal intensity.

"Don't insult my intelligence," he told her coldly. "I've been around for a long time, and I've known you for a few months now. And I learned to read human emotions a very long time ago." He did not know the whole story, but he knew enough to know one thing, she hadn't betrayed him. And that sent the emotion of love shooting through every part of his body. He held her tighter.

"Am I forgiven?" he asked her.

-

-

She felt her eyes widen even before it happened. Forgive him?

"For what?" she asked.

"For what I did to you," he told her. What he had done? And suddenly she remembered the night in his office. It seemed so far away, it was as if it had never happened. She nodded. She would forgive him. She already had.

"And will you forgive me?" she asked him, looking into his eyes. And then she saw a smile. Not a smirk like he usually wore, but a genuine smile. It made him, if possible, even more beautiful.

"There's nothing to forgive," he said, and then he kissed her forehead. She wept a little more, but he comforted her by holding her. He didn't do anything else, but that was ok. She didn't need anything else at that moment. She slept the night in his arms, feeling for the first time in days, that she was where she belonged.

-

-

-

Kaiba woke early the next morning. He left her side to get dressed and breathed a sigh of relief. How long had it been since he had done that? Before he left, he saw Serenity reach out for him in her sleep. He went back and sat beside her again. He grabbed her hand, and saw her smile. He bent down and kissed her gently on the lips, and whispered words he was sure she wouldn't remember when she woke up.

"I love you."

-

-

-

Serenity woke up alone. Of course he couldn't be with her, he worked. She knew that. But, even if he wasn't there beside her, she felt relief flood her body. She looked around the room, but noticed that the door wasn't locked. She wasn't a captive anymore. She was free.

Serenity stepped into the warmth of the shower, and let the water run over her. She made it extra hot, and then scrubbed herself until she hurt. She wanted Marik's scent off of her body. Kaiba had smelled it, but she couldn't. How would she know if it would ever be gone? She emerged from the shower an hour later, red from the scrubbing and the heat. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw a petite figure waiting for her.

"I think you might need these," Zakura said. Serenity couldn't help herself, she hugged her friend. Zakura hugged her back.

"I'm glad you're okay Serenity," Zakura said. Then her eyes traveled her bruised body, and she frowned. "Or as okay as you can be." Serenity changed the subject as quickly as she could.

"Did you bring me clothes Zakura?" she said, and she was grateful that Zakura had taken the hint.

"All my clothes are being washed," Zakura told her. "All I have to offer you is this white shirt. It's really big, and it'll cover you really well." Serenity smiled and took the shirt from her. She slipped it over her head and brushed her hair, enjoying the wet feeling on her back.

"Thank you," Zakura said suddenly, and when Serenity turned, she saw Zakura bow slightly to her.

"For what?" Serenity asked, genuinely confused.

"When the master left this morning, he wasn't burdened by his own worries anymore. And he was genuinely in a good mood. He hasn't looked this good in days. You've changed him."

"I…I didn't do-"

"Yes you did," Zakura said, smiling. "Even those closest to him have felt it. Mokuba has felt it. He's still the same leader we've always known, still fierce. But you've done something, and even if it's not obvious to you, he's happy. You've lifted a great burden off of Mokuba's shoulders, as well as mine. Thank you." Serenity was genuinely touched by her friend's statement. That's right, she was her friend.

"You don't have to thank me," Serenity told her.

"Mokuba wanted to thank you too, but he's at school today."

"Don't you go to school?" Serenity asked her. A sad smile graced Zakura's face.

"Before I was turned, I used to be in medical school. That was a long time ago, but I never forgot what I have learned, and I have added experience. I was turned by a very vicious vampire, and he was about to kill me when someone intervened. I never knew who it was, but they told me I would be different from then on. I was a vampire, but I hated it. I went about my daily life, but I was also gathering information from others. I was skilled, even from the beginning. But I was kicked out from my school a day before my graduation."

"Why?" Serenity asked.

"Because I was caught stealing blood from one of the dead bodies we were going to use for a demonstration that day. After that, I was shunned. Everyone in my village thought me to be a monster, so I fled. I lived by drinking the blood of the dead, or drawing blood with a needle from the unconscious. That was my way of life for the next 500 years. And then I met Kaiba, and his clan. They were the people that told me that though my life had been cursed by a vampire's fate, that with them, I wouldn't be shunned. They put my medical skills to use, especially after Marik left and made an enemy clan. But Kaiba, no matter how cold he was, treated me with respect. Like I was his older sister, and that made me feel wonderful. And I always used to think of Mokuba as my little brother, but he's matured so much lately. Maybe it's because he wants to be like his older brother. And you've helped his brother so much. He's nothing like the cold man I met all those years ago. Thank you again." Serenity's heart ached for Zakura's past, but she put on a happy facade. She knew Zakura wouldn't want her to be sad.

"You can never be of no use," Serenity assured her taking the girl's hands in her own. "And I don't think I've changed him. And even if I had, it's because he has a friend like you. And a great brother like Mokuba, who can support him in anything." Zakura gave her a curious look.

"What?" Serenity asked, hoping that she hadn't sounded too embarrassing. It was somewhat ironic, that she could still worry about things a normal teenager could after everything she had been through.

"It's just…" Zakura began. And then she paused. "Never mind. And thank you for what you said, Mokuba would be very happy." And she smiled.

"And since Mokuba's happiness is my happiness, I'm happy too." Serenity smiled, and giggled. She had the urge to try girl talk, but the comfortable silence between them was enough.

"I'm hungry, can we go eat downstairs?" Serenity asked. Zakura nodded, and let the girl walk ahead of her.

_It's amazing, _Zakura thought. _You've healed his soul, given him back a heart. In the beginning, I thought you were just his toy. But he's come to love everything about you; it's such a powerful love that he could do anything. But, there's more animosity ahead, I know that. _

Everything Zakura should've said to Serenity was running through her head. She hated not knowing what was ahead, and, just as Mokuba had done before, she prayed.

_Please, please, let everything be alright. _

-

-

-

Serenity stared at the food in front of her. All it was was bread, but having eaten nothing for the past few days, it looked like a feast. Zakura noticed too.

"You look like a starving man," she said. "What did you eat when you were…there?"

"Nothing," Serenity answered truthfully. "All he fed me was some kind of wine, but that was it."

"Wine?" Zakura asked, intrigued by her answer.

"Yes, that's all he ever ate too, now that I think about it." Zakura's face then turned to worry.

"Don't worry Zakura," Serenity assured her friend. "I'm sure I'll be fine." But as the bread touched Serenity's lips, a wave of nausea hit her. It was so powerful, and she fell to her knees.

"Serenity?" Zakura said, coming to her side. "What's wrong?"

"I…I don't know," Serenity told her. "Maybe I'm hungrier than I realized." But the thought of food made Serenity want to throw up again. What did she want? And the seduction of the red liquid came to her. She wanted it. She had to have it. And the felt the familiar taste enter her mouth as she threw up on the floor. Serenity heard Zakura gasp in horror and she knew why. She had thrown up the only thing that had been in her system for the past few days, and the dark red liquid made it seem as if she were throwing up blood. What was going on? But as she looked at the liquid on the floor, the biggest urge of hunger overcame her. She gathered the liquid in her hands and drank it. The familiar taste filled her mouth, and the usual hazy feeling came over her.

"Serenity," Zakura said, her voice laced with horror. "What are you doing?" Zakura's voice reached her through her desperation. What **was** she doing?

"I don't know. I…I…" she said, gasping in horror at what she had done. She put her hands to her mouth in horror, only to be met by the taste of the liquid once again. As Serenity turned to face Zakura, exhaustion and horror of what she had just done overwhelmed her, and she fainted into the pool of the liquid she had just thrown up. Zakura rushed to her side, and cradled her friend in her arms.

"Wake up!" Zakura shouted, but her vampire sense drew her to the liquid. It wasn't blood, but something that called to her. She ignored it and brought Serenity out of the kitchen, where Mokuba had just come home. He helped her without question, and she told him that no one should enter the kitchen.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because in there…is something that I don't want anyone to see." Mokuba looked confused, but he obeyed. No one went near the kitchen, and they brought Serenity to an empty room to nurse her. But Zakura couldn't get the disturbing attraction she felt about the liquid that Serenity had purged out of her mind.

_Almost as if…it was calling to me. _

-

-

-

Shiori was awakened by Marik's sudden appearance in her room.

"What are you doing here?" Shiori whispered urgently. "Don't you know that if Kaiba finds you, he'll kill you on the spot?"

"Yes," Marik replied. "I know that. But I couldn't help but wondering what was going on."

"She's disturbed," Shiori answered. "She threw up blood earlier."

"Oh, that wasn't blood," Marik replied. "It was bottled temptation."

"But that's forbidden," Shiori said with wide eyes.

"And I care?" Marik replied sarcastically. "She's tied to me, and that's all that matters. She's desperate, but no food will do. She needs what I've been feeding her. And you know what that is."

"But why didn't she keep it down?" Shiori asked immediately, afraid of another awkward silence.

"She can't be far away from me for too long. She'll become aware of that soon, I'm sure of it." And Marik's usual evil smirk graced his face.

"That's what she gets for committing betrayal. There's so much of that, but as I've told her…'We're not done yet.'

-

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Thank you! To everyone from the last chapter, I will now acknowledge you!

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xXRoseGoddess874Xx: No, Serenity didn't let Marik do that to her. Hopefully this chapter will explain a little more. Sorry if it was confusing! ;;

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lilxangelxsweetz: Thank you! I'm glad you like my story!

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KiWingz: Wow, I love when people laeve comments like you do! All will be revealed!

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louisiana-southern-belle: Oh, sorry if I made you cry!

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Fairy-GYAKUTENNO-MEGAMI: hey, maybe he will fix it, maybe he won't. All will be revealed!

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ANAYAS-CREATER: Hope all the angst didn't cause YOU any pain!

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LisaTheHedgehog: Thanks! I'll try!

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FireFairy032003: Sorry if I made you sad! AND I DIDN'T MEAN TO BE MEAN!

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pink-strawberries: Aww, thank you for saying this is ur favorite fic! I'll try to keep it good!

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TillEvermore: Wow, you read all 16 straight! I recommend everyone take your advice!


	18. What comes back to haunt you

Uh, I can't believe I've never done a disclaimer before ok here goes; I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH!

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Kaiba lounged in his office, watching civilization from twenty stories up. He was in such a serene mood; he felt that he could've done that all day. But he knew that life was not so good to him. Something very good had happened to him, and he knew something else was coming. And then he heard a message from his secretary.

"Mr. Kaiba," came the trembling voice. "You have a visitor."

"Tell who ever it is that I'm busy," he replied. He was too tired to deal with anyone.

"I'm sorry sir, but he won't be-" and the line was cut. The door burst open, and there stood Marik. Kaiba was suddenly more alert, whether it was caution or pure anger remained to be seen.

"Really Kaiba," Marik said, seating himself opposite of him. "You should treat your guests with more respect."

"Like you deserve any respect," Kaiba said through clenched teeth. "After what you did..."

"I didn't do anything wrong," Marik said, feigning innocence. "I just had a good time and let my instincts take over. Is that so wrong?" Kaiba stood up very suddenly, but made no move otherwise.

"I'd welcome a fight Kaiba," Marik said, standing to meet him in height. "I mean, after taking all my pent up sexual frustration out on the girl you love, I'd expect you to want to beat me to a bloody pulp." Kaiba clenched his fists; he DID want to kill him.

"But now's not the place," Kaiba told him. "Nor is it the time."

"I came to talk calmly, so I think that's what we should do," Marik said, and slowly, they both sat down.

"You have a lot of nerve, coming to see me after what you did," Kaiba said, taking out a bottle of wine like he always did. He needed to calm down.

"Blood wine?" Marik asked. "Oh my, you still haven't been able to get fully calm without that stuff. But I am surprised; you've mellowed very much. It's Serenity's doing, isn't it? Has love made you this way?" Kaiba would've said no, he would've denied the inevitable if it was a few weeks ago. But it wasn't.

"Yes, I guess you could say that," he said, taking a swig from the bottle. Marik's eyes widened, despite his cool demeanor. This was something he would've almost bet his life would never happen. Almost.

"You know, this is so sad," Marik said, taking the bottle from Kaiba's hand and taking a swig of his own. "This is a doomed love." Kaiba's eyes narrowed.

"Would you like to explain?" Kaiba asked, his voice coming to the edge of anger. Marik smirked once again.

"Humanity," Marik began, "Is something that no one would ever want to give up. But you have, and we both know that getting it back is impossible for you. I'll just say that."

"Shut up," Kaiba told him, clenching his hands so hard that he was sure that the crescent moons his fingernails were imprinting on his palms would be there forever.

"And if I don't?" Marik said. Kaiba slowly rose, and Marik rose with him. Kaiba brought his face dangerously close to Marik's.

"I'll kill you. Everything you've done is going to end with me killing you."

"Is that a threat?"

Kaiba nodded, anger racing through his blood. It was not only a threat, but a promise. And then he took a breath, and caught the scent of something that he had not smelled in more than a century. His eyes widened.

"Bottled…temptation?" he said. Marik smirked and nodded.

"So that's why you've never been seen hunting humans. You've been using the Bottled Temptation to sustain your life…"

"Finally catching on, aren't you?"

"Fool," Kaiba said. "You may as well have sold your soul to the devil."

"You're the fool," Marik replied. "We created such a powerful thing, and you threw it all away."

"There is no way I would want to be, in any way, affiliated with you. And you know why we banned it. It's going to destroy you."

"As I recall, we are vampires, not seers. You can't tell the future Kaiba."

"I don't need to." They just stared at each other, the animosity between them growing by the second. And then the phone rang, shattering the tension in the air. Marik smirked.

"You might want to get that." And he got up, turned, and walked out the door. Kaiba picked up the phone, but his hands were shaking from so much anger that he dropped it.

"Hello," he said after he picked it up. "Zakura? I can't hear you, just calm down…What?"

-

-

-

Serenity was lying in an unused room somewhere in the mansion. Mokuba had layed her down on a clean white bed, which was immediately as stained as the white shirt she wore. Zakura didn't have the heart to remove it off of her, maybe she was too scared. They had been watching her for hours. She was still unconscious, but they were sure that she was at least alive.

"I feel ashamed of myself," Zakura said, breaking the silence after a few hours. Her voice was strained, because she had cried so much.

"You've done all you can," Mokuba told her, holding the crying girl against him. "There is nothing to be ashamed about." Suddenly the door slammed open, and there stood Kaiba. Mokuba had told Zakura to call, but he didn't think his brother would be home as quick as he was. His brother didn't show any expression, he still had the cold look and I-don't-care attitude. But Mokuba was his brother, and he could tell; he was worried.

"Seto, don't you have work?" Mokuba said, trying to break the silence once again.

"You were the ones who called me over here babbling like idiots," Kaiba said, tossing his coat and bag on the ground. He came to Serenity's side, and took her hand into his. Was this really the warm hand that he had held only hours earlier? Her skin was very cold to the touch, as if he were holding the hand of a porcelain doll.

"What happened?" he asked, not turning to face his brother or his friend.

"I'm not really sure Seto," Mokuba said, as if now becoming aware of this himself. "All I know is that when I got home, Zakura was pulling Serenity out of the kitchen and she was covered in blood."

"It wasn't blood," Zakura said, speaking in a clear voice. "It was something else…"

"Did you clean it up?" Kaiba asked her.

"No I didn't," Zakura answered. She knew that cleaning it up would have been the right thing to do, but in truth she was scared. Kaiba walked silently out of the room and down the stairs. As he recalled, whatever had happened had taken place in the kitchen. On his way home, he had thought the situation with Marik over.

_Just please, don't let what I think happened be true. _

Kaiba entered the kitchen, only to be hit with an odd feeling of familiarity. And then he saw it. A dark puddle in the corner, which any human would have mistaken for blood. But he wasn't 'human,' and he knew the truth. He slowly went over and stood over the ominous liquid, slowly coming into a crouching position. He dipped his finger into the liquid and brought it up to his face once more. Marik's scent filled his senses, as did the smell of blood and wine. There was no mistaking what this was; Bottled Temptation. Something so deadly and lethal; something he had aided in the creation of. And something that had poisoned the girl he loved.

-

-

-

Kaiba sat in the chair beside Serenity for hours. Mokuba had said he was tired, and managed to drag Zakura to bed with him. It was bout two in the morning when her eyes opened. He wasn't planning on sleeping, but her awakening was somewhat of a shock to him. He wasn't expecting it for another few hours. After what seemed like an eternity of staring, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Sorry if I scared you," she said, sounding very sincere in her apology.

"I'm never scared Wheeler, I thought you would've understood that."

"I told you to call me Serenity," she said in an even fainter whisper. He remembered her request and was willing to oblige by it, now more than ever.

"Old habits die hard," he told her. She sat up, exposing her stained shirt to him.

"Did it hurt?" he asked, reaching his hand out and caressing a bloody patch of shirt just under her breast. She blushed furiously, but took his hand into hers instead of pushing him away. She tugged slightly, and soon he was beside her. Looking at her beauty, Kaiba found it hard to believe that only a day before she was a victim of kidnapping and rape. She was strong.

"I love you," he told her. It wasn't the right place, or the right time, but as long as Kaiba could remember, he had been blunt about things he wanted. And he wanted her.

-

-

-

_Love? _

Serenity felt as if time slowed down, leaving only her and him together. He loved her? Someone who had not known love and could not feel love loved her? It wasn't possible. It couldn't be true.

"If you want my body, I'll gladly give it to you," she told him, her voice very small. "But please, don't tell me you love me just for that. I've already told you, I'm yours to use. I just wish you wouldn't lie to me." And she put her head down. The past few days were made of nothing but ups and downs. She was held captive, raped, rescued and comforted. And then she had thrown up her stomach's contents, which looked remarkably like blood. It was as if she was watching her life slip from her mouth. And when she awoke to see him, she felt so happy. But her happiness must've been such a small thing, she thought to herself, because it was getting crushed under one small lie. She felt herself start to cry again, and immediately hated herself for it. Why was she so weak? Suddenly, she felt his finger slip under her chin and slowly bring her eyes to meet his.

"Why would I lie Serenity?" he asked her, coming closer. "I don't feel the need to lie about certain things. If I want something, I have to have it. And I want you." Was she dreaming? No, this was real.

"I love everything about you," he told her. "All I want is you." Though they both knew the relationship between a vampire and a human was an impossibility, it didn't matter at that moment.

"I do too," she told him, and as he was about to kiss her, she turned her head away again.

"Why?" he asked her, not angry, but generally confused.

"Is it okay?" she asked slowly. "I mean, after everything that happened? I'm so dirty Seto," she told him. "I don't think I can ever be clean again. I probably still have his scent on me…"

Kaiba didn't bother to tell her that she was right.

"I feel like I don't have the right-" but he cut her off by pressing his lips to hers. It was so gentle, something she thought him incapable of. And it was also healing; he was healing her. When he pulled away, he looked directly at her.

"Do you think I have the right?" he asked her. "I'm not so nice a person Serenity. I'm evil, and I have no soul. I have killed so many people, and their souls come back to haunt me at night. Blood and fulfilling my own lust are thoughts that usually dominate my mind. I'll never be able to repent for my sins; there's way too many of them. But, I don't care. I deserve nothing, and you deserve better."

"But what we deserve isn't always what we want," she told him. "But, I already told you, I'm so-"

"Dirty?" he asked her. And without warning he pulled her shirt up over her head. She blushed and immediately crossed her arms over her chest. But he pulled them down to her sides, and drank the sight of her in.

"You're not dirty," he told her, kissing the tears that were once again finding their way down her neck. "You never could be." He pulled away and looked at her again. She was bruised and scraped, but other than that, there was nothing. She was still pure, still beautiful. Still his.

"I don't care about anything that he might've done to you. I love you, you're mine."

-

-

-

Serenity woke the next morning, expecting to be alone like she usually was. But instead, she found herself in the embrace of the man she loved. She awoke and left him to sleep, deciding he needed some peace. Thoughts of the night before made a blush come to her cheeks, but only because she thought of how gentle he'd been with her. There was no sex, for he understood she couldn't handle it at that moment.

_As much as I want you, I know you're not ready. So I'll wait… _

She wandered toward the kitchen's, only to find Zakura sitting in front of the door. She was sound asleep. Serenity gently pushed her friend, causing her to awaken.

"You're alright?" Zakura said, and then hugged her friend. "I'm so glad."

"I'm sorry I made you worry," Serenity told her friend. When she pulled away, Zakura smiled at her.

"You seem different today," Zakura said, knowing that somehow, Serenity didn't hate herself anymore. Serenity just shrugged it off, and told her she would see her later. Serenity wandered the halls, but found her feet leading her right back to Kaiba. As she entered the room, his eyes opened and he sat up. His eyes adjusted, and he saw her standing in the doorway. He beckoned to her, and she came to him. She sat on the bed, and he wrapped his arm around her waist. She knew that he was not one to show his feelings, but intimacy was something that he could do very well.

"I have to go to work," he told her, but he made no indication to move.

"You don't want to, so why not just take the day off?" she asked.

"Me?" he said, chuckling a little. "Not possible." And he got up. He put a dress shirt on and she turned away when he changed into dress pants. A few minutes later, and there stood a well dressed CEO. Not the vampire king or her lover.

"You can even tie a tie," Serenity said. "I feel useless somehow." Kaiba came to her and kissed her fiercely. She was taken by surprise, and now, as she felt herself succumbing to his advances, she knew her innocence was truly gone. Loving and being loved by another worldly being. It was truly something that was one of a kind. As he pulled away, he smirked at her.

"I will see you later," he told her, and he turned to leave.

"I love you," she told him, watching his back go rigid.

"I-" he said, not turning to face her. He didn't say anything, and continued out, slamming the door behind him. Soon, Serenity was left alone. She grinned in irony, not at him, but at herself.

"I know I didn't expect anything," she told herself in a low voice. "But it-"

"It still hurts, doesn't it dear Serenity?"

Serenity felt every fiber of her being grow cold. Slowly she turned, and saw Marik sitting in the corner, a grin plastered on his face.

-

-

-

Hey, it's me! The author! Ok, I was wondering if my awesome reviewers could give me an idea for my next fic! That doesn't mean this one is finished, but I just need to know. So give me the anime and the couple from that anime that you like, and I'll try to come up with an awesome story idea for my next one. I repeat: THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THIS STORY IS FINISHED YET! (And if I don't like the anime or the couple, I'll try to let you know in a very nice way.)


	19. Author's Note

OK, Bad news! Since some people can never be together forever, I must go away! A.K.A. I'm going to my father's for a week. I won't be able to update until next week, so please forgive me. But I promise, I'll write a kick ass chapter and update as soon as I can. Please forgive me! ;; And I hate, absolutely HATE, putting on these author's notes! But I think it's necessary, so forgive me again!


	20. What the eyes can't see

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! The story and my OC's however, I do.

Omg, I have not updated in a long time! I'm so very, very sorry! But I'm back now and let's hope I can produce more kick ass chapters!

-

Serenity stared, and felt that if she wasn't resting one of her hands against the wall, she would've fallen out of shock. She closed her eyes and willed the nightmare to go away. One. Two. Three. When she opened her eyes again, he was gone.

_What just happened? _

Serenity sat back on the bed, clutching her chest through her shirt. Her heart was beating rapidly, and she could feel it wrenching more and more with every passing second. It was unbearable.

"Serenity?" Zakura's voice came along with a knock on the door. "I think you need to eat something, so come down to the kitchen. Don't worry…nothing's there anymore."

By 'nothing,' Serenity knew that everything was cleaned up. There would be no 'almost' blood on the floor.

"In a minute," she called back. Serenity didn't let that minute last too long, as the thought of being alone nearly made her body break out in a cold sweat. When she opened the door, Zakura waited with a smile. That smile immediately dropped when she saw her.

"What's wrong?" Zakura immediately asked.

_Damn, does anything ever get by her? _

"Nothing, I'm fine," Serenity said, hoping her lie would come off as truth. Zakura fixed her with a stare. Serenity decided to tell the truth…partly.

"I guess. I just had a flashback or something like that." Zakura's eyes instantly filled with understanding.

"Well, the food's going to be a while, so we can sit in the reading room if you'd like."

"I think I'd like to walk around," Serenity said. Zakura's mouth opened in protest.

"How can you say that after everything that happened?"

"I'm going," Serenity said, a resolve that didn't feel like her own growing in her stomach. Then, a familiar feeling swept over her. A feeling like she wasn't herself anymore. She felt like she was being controlled. A puppet.

"I won't let you," Zakura said, and, out of nowhere, Serenity slapped her. She used enough force to send the girl to the ground. Zakura's face bled; Serenity guessed her nails must've scratched her, but didn't care. Zakura looked up at her in shock, but for some reason, it added some vindictive pleasure to her.

"Scared?" Serenity asked, only it wasn't her voice. It was Marik's. Zakura's eyes widened and as she was about to scream, a shadow appeared behind her and held a cloth to her face. She was unconscious almost at once. Serenity's voice quickly returned to normal, but the maniacal glint in her eyes wasn't gone.

"Good work Shiori," she said. "I'm surprised that you have the power to think that quickly, you being of a lower rank than Zakura." Shiori glared at the girl with such hatred that it was tangible to the air. If Marik weren't controlling Serenity at the moment, she didn't think she could've kept up her friend façade.

"Marik…or Serenity or whatever, help me get her into her room." They carried the unconscious Zakura to her room, no one seeing them long enough to question them or even wonder about them. Shiori bit into the back of Zakura's neck, and sucked the memory from her body. When she would awaken, she would remember nothing.

"The bite of amnesia," Marik's voice said. "Impressive."

"So you did feed her bottled temptation," Shiori said, ignoring his complement. "You can control her. Can she hear everything I'm saying to you?"

"No. Serenity's very sensitive, and I think she fainted from the shock. I can't feel her presence at the moment."

"It's very hard to try and have a serious conversation with you when it's not even you I'm talking with," Shiori said, the usual traces of anger coming to her voice.

"I'm only here to have some fun," Marik said.

"Fun? Your plan failed," Shiori stated.

"How did it fail?" Marik asked her, an eerie calm in his voice. It was even more disturbing, as his deep voice was now emanating from a small girl with a blood stained shirt. Serenity's body made its way over to Shiori, and her hand reached out to draw circle patterns on her exposed stomach.

"You're trying to seduce me in the body of a girl I hate?" Shiori asked, a mixture of rage and amusement in her eyes. "You really are losing your touch." Serenity's hand, with Marik's anger driving it, reached up and slapped Shiori with as much force as she had slapped Zakura. Her face now bled as well, and Serenity's hand reached up and let the blood trickling down Shiori's cheek onto her hand. She licked it.

"You taste like anger," he told her, smirking. And then a hard glare replaced the playful one. "Now, I'll ask again. How did it fail?" Shiori gaped at the sight before her. Serenity's body was pale and her face sickly, the dried blood on her shirt making her even more frightening. Her hair had lost its shine and hung limply down her back, but her arms were tensed. Her whole body seemed to have gained a new appearance, but what was the most frightening were her eyes. They weren't hers anymore, and, like Mai, were lifeless. It didn't help that her hand was dripping with fresh blood either.

"I read Zakura's mind when I drank her memory," Shiori explained, indicating to the unconscious girl on the bed. "I saw everything. He loves her, he's told her. She's healing. It's over." Serenity raised her hand again, but Shiori put her arms up in defense. Surprisingly, she wasn't struck. Marik ran Serentiy's fingers through her hair.

"Problem," he said after a few minutes. "But, she's not out of my control." Marik touched his hand, or rather Serenity's, to her chest. There was a smirk of satisfaction on her face, mixed with a sort of dreamlike appearance. She looked like she was lost in thoughts.

"She won't be free of me until one of us dies. And I don't expect her to kill me. That is the price of bottle temptation. 'Binding someone to you unwillingly until one of the two bound eternities is no longer an entity.' I remember that so well." Shiori heard a sound, and out of the corner of her eye, saw Zakura stir in her unconsciousness. She would be awake soon.

"We better go," Shiori said. "If she wakes up and finds us here, not even losing that memory can stop her from asking questions."

"I agree," Marik said, his voice seeming to fade. "Listen, when I leave her body, Serenity's going to faint. All you have to do is help her and keep up your good acting. Oh, and get your puppets ready."

"They're going to die soon," Shiori told him.

"And that's why they need to be ready," Marik said, his voice sounding more and more like Serenity's by the second. "No one wants to die without being remembered. You have my word that Serenity will remember."

"And how do you know that whatever plan is streaming in your head right now is going to work?" Shiori asked, watching the frightening demeanor leave Serenity's body as Marik's possession of her lessened and lessened. "At least give me a hint."

"Insanity," was all he said before he left her completely, and Serenity, herself and no one else, fell to the ground unconscious.

-

-

-

Serenity woke to a glimmer of light. It came from a small window in a dark room. When she sat up, she noticed a pair of bright green eyes watching her from the darkness.

"Shiori?" she asked, sitting up at once. The girl came to her and gently pushed her back down.

"I found you in the hallway. You shouldn't strain yourself so much after fainting." Shiori turned away from her and seemed to be soaking a wash cloth in a basin of steaming water. The last time Serenity had seen Shiori was when she was professing her love to the same man she loved. But she wasn't angry. She knew what it was like to love someone that much. Neither of them were going to bring it up, they seemed to have reached a silent agreement about that. Shiori turned back to her and placed a warm cloth on her head.

"Don't tell," Serenity said immediately, and Shiori nodded. They both seemed to be keeping a lot of secrets for each other.

"What happened to me?" Serenity asked, enjoying the feeling of warm moisture on her forehead.

"I don't know, but I think you had a nightmare that didn't fully go away. You kept saying something about 'he's never going to leave.'" Serenity's face instantly paled.

"Everyone knows what happened to you," Shiori told her in a sympathetic whisper. "He told us. Now get some sleep. I'll wake you before anyone can notice that you're gone." Serenity didn't protest as she layed back down. It shouldn't have surprised her that everyone knew. Kaiba had to say something, it had involved the enemy. Someone they couldn't ignore unless they wanted to be killed. But somehow, knowing he had layed her secrets to be heard by all, made her feel shamed. Shiori smiled behind her back. Of course the whole clan didn't know, and the only reason she knew was because she was an insider. But Serenity wouldn't know that, as she didn't have the strength to turn her head because of all the emotions that were clouding her mind. Her shame, her hurt, her love; everything was overpowering her until the only thing she could think to do was sleep to get away from it all. But even sleeping didn't prevent the nightmares that followed.

-

-

-

Serenity was back in her room before anyone noticed. The only thing out of the ordinary was that Mokuba was following Zakura around like a hawk, asking her why she had slept the day away. His concern for her was slightly amusing, but mostly just adorable. She didn't wonder why she couldn't remember anything that happened before Shiori found her. She didn't allow herself to wonder.

-

For the next week, Serenity lived fairly normally. She and Kaiba didn't see each other that much because he was busy with projects at work and she was regularly attending school again. It made her realize how different their worlds really were. Not only was he a being of the night, but now he was also the higher class role model. And she was a girl finishing her final year with no family and a past she wouldn't say she was proud of. The fact that she was the lover of a vampire was the only interesting thing about her, but no one knew that.

Her friends had noticed the changes in her, commenting that she looked 'more beautiful than ever' and 'she seemed to have grown up a lot.' Serenity didn't see her brother, but was shocked to learn that he had dropped out. Though she didn't let it show, lest anyone figure out they weren't talking anymore. All she thought about her brother these days was how she hoped he was still alive with each passing day. Boys were looking at her more than ever, and she was guessing it was because of the outfits she wore. They weren't conservative in the slightest, just barely passing the dress code. She smirked whenever she thought about it.

_Oh, the vampire ways. _

She saw Yugi and Tristan sometimes, and all they did was smile and wave. Tristan was eyeing her, but Yugi hadn't lost his childlike innocence to look at her that way. Not yet. She smirked again, knowing that all those months ago, she was just like him.

"Don't let it leave you just yet, ok?" she told him in passing. He shot her a confused look but she was gone before he could ask her what she meant. She was Mokuba's upper classman and saw him in the hallway sometimes. He was very popular; the mix of his natural good looks and personality combined with the fact that his brother was one of the richest and most good looking men in the world all under the age of 25 made him one hell of a person. But he never forgot to walk her home when the day was done. Maybe it was out of fear, or a favor to Kaiba, but Serenity truly believed it was just because he was a nice guy. And, because she was the only person he could talk to about Zakura.

But whatever normallacy she had during the day was usually lost at night. She hadn't forgotten that hallucination a week earlier. She hadn't seen one since, but now she was having nightmares. In them, Marik was always there, laughing at her tortured spirit. Sometimes she didn't even think sleep was possible. Whenever she would stir, Kaiba would always reach over and wake her up. Sometimes she would be crying, and he would embrace her and kiss her pain away. Even if they slept in the same bed, she would always be alone waking up. Sometimes she was lucky enough to be awake when he came home, but he usually said nothing. They hadn't had sex since she was raped, even though she was sure she was fully healed from the incident. She was glad he was trying to protect her, but she found she didn't **want **him to protect her. Not from himself. Nor did she want to be protected from him. She missed his body on top of hers, and the feelings she had when he made love to her. It was ironic that she slept in the bed of a man who was known for his lust night after night, yet they hadn't done anything for the past two weeks. She never thought she'd be the lust hungry one in their relationship at any point, but now she found herself craving him. Had he ever felt like this? She was living as normal as she could, and that made her happy, but also slightly uneasy. She knew that something wasn't right, it couldn't be all over. There was so much, and suddenly it just stopped. But something was coming; she just couldn't see it yet.

-

-

-

Later that week, Serenity was getting ready to meet Mokuba to go home, when she felt a hand tap her on the shoulder. She turned and saw Marik standing behind her. Fear gripped her and she turned and ran, but felt him catch up effortlessly.

"It's rude to run when someone wants your attention," he whispered in her ear. She was about to try to run again when she felt him throw her sideways into the wall. He quickly pinned her.

"Scared?" he asked her. "You better be, because I'm coming back for you." Serenity shut her eyes tightly and whimpered.

"Leave me alone," she said, tears biting at her eyes.

"Serenity?" she heard someone say. "What's wrong?" Suddenly, Mokuba was in front of her, and Marik was gone. Mokuba looked very concerned, reaching up and wiping her tears.

"You look like shit," he told her bluntly. "What happened to you?" What had happened to her? She was almost positive that not even two minutes earlier, Marik had her pinned to a wall. But there was nothing to indicate he had done so. Just her.

"I saw him," Serenity whispered, "He was here." Mokuba's eyes now glowed with recognition, but then confusion.

"That's not possible Serenity, I would've sensed it. My skills may not be as honed as my brother's but I can usually sense when there's another vampire in the area. I think it was just a hallucination. I mean, it IS pretty hot out today." Serenity looked up at him. He didn't believe her. Why would he? She wouldn't have believed herself either. They walked home was silence, the space filled with their awkwardness. When they got home, they went they're separate ways. They didn't speak about the incident, but more continued to follow.

-

-

-

Serenity felt as if she were slowly losing her mind. She would see Marik at the most awkward moments. Every time she saw him, she was alone. She didn't bother telling anyone else; Mokuba looking at her like she was insane was enough to convince her no one else would believe her. But she couldn't help the fear that was running through her, and that was starting to take its toll. She had lost at least ten pounds, and everyone began to notice.

"What's wrong?" Kaiba asked her as they were getting ready for bed one night. It was one of the few nights that they were together before they went to sleep.

"Nothing," she told him, lying through her teeth. He knew her too well.

"Tell me," he told her, sitting himself beside her on the bed.

"I just did," she said, turning away from him.

"No you didn't," he told her. She could feel the tenseness in his voice. He was getting angry. But she would rather him be angry at her than treat her fragile like again. She hated to think of him looking at her like she was insane, let alone him never reaching out to touch her again. How much could he believe?

"Serenity?" he said to her, reaching out and putting his hand on her shoulder. She turned to meet his eyes. They were as icy as his demeanor. He reached out and brought her to him.

"Tell me," he told her harshly. She tried to move, but his grip was tight on her body.

"Nothing. How many times do I have to say it?" she told him.

"If it was nothing, how come you lost so much weight? How come every time you turn around, you look like you're watching out for someone who's going to kill you? Answer me that!" She didn't look up at him.

-

-

-

Kaiba hadn't touched her intimately in such a long time. All he wanted was to throw her down, and that urge took him over. He saw her eyes widen with shock as she found herself beneath him, pinned.

"Tell me or I swear that I will do something you don't think I'm capable of." She started shaking, but he found that he didn't care. He wanted to know what was wrong with her.

"You're capable of anything," she told him. Then she mumbled something inaudible under her breath.

"What?" he asked her, tightening his grip on her wrists.

"I said it's NONE OF YOUR BUISNESS!" she yelled. And suddenly, he loosened his grip and kissed her. It was full of so much hunger and so much need; it took her off guard for a moment. But then she pulled away.

"Did I do something?" he asked her, knowing that he hadn't been exactly 'good' to her lately. She shook her head.

"No, but…could you get off me? I want to take a shower before I go to bed." They seemed to be in their own little bubble of timelessness. He didn't want to move, he really didn't, but eventually he rolled to the side and sat up. His white undershirt was clinging to his body, and his black jeans looked worn. He scratched his head and sighed. He truly looked tired.

_But is he tired of me? _she thought.

"Well…I'm going," she said after a few uncomfortable minutes of silence. He didn't acknowledge her at all. She walked into the bathroom and locked the door.

-

The hot water running down Serenity's body had calmed her down, and she was grateful for it. All the chaos was taking its toll on her, and the simple moments like this were what she was happy about. She didn't know how long she stayed in there, but eventually time caught up with her. But as she was about to reach for the shower handle, she felt a hand close over hers.

"Going somewhere?" a voice asked, sending chills down her spine. Suddenly, Marik, fully clothed, was in front of her, pressing her into the cold tile corner of the shower.

"Why won't you just go away?" she asked him, and found that her voice was leaving her. She tried to cover herself, but he held her wrists so tightly. She was exposed, and his eyes drank her in hungrily.

"I want you back," he told her violently.

"But you never had me," she told him in a silent, desperate whisper.

"No?" he told her, laughing.

"He forgave me," she told him, her voice not getting stronger, but she was able to say what she wanted to. "I love him, and he loves me."

"Are you sure about that?" he asked her, mocking her. But this time, it didn't work.

"Yes," she said, "I do." She felt herself going hazy.

"You do know you're still under my control," he told her. "Don't tell me you've forgotten about our lovely night together two weeks ago." Serenity started to cry, but it was impossible to tell with the water from the shower running down on them. She didn't want to relive that nightmare, but he was forcing her to do it.

"You raped me," she told him, her voice a mixture of anger and sadness.

"It's not rape if you're willing," he told her, a vindictive smile coming to his face. "I told you that, didn't I?"

"But I wasn't willing," she told him quietly. "There was nothing in the world that I would want to do less." He let out a cry of anger; she knew she had crossed a line.

"I'll tell you something, and I'll give you a little while to think about it. You're brother and his girlfriend are in the hands of someone who controls them, but the someone that controls them is someone **I **control. There's a way to save them, but I'll only give them that way if you agree to my demands. I'll be back soon, very soon. The quicker you make your choice, the quicker your brother can live a normal life again."

"What if you're lying?" she asked him after a few minutes of consideration.

"What if I'm not?" And then he kissed her. She didn't kiss back, but she felt the feeling of filth and disgrace come over her again. She didn't want this. She didn't want it. She didn't…

And suddenly she was screaming. It was loud, and the whole house probably heard it. But she couldn't help it. It was a scream full of terror, but she couldn't stop; she seemed to be in her own little world at that moment. She didn't seem to hear the door crash open, but she remembered the hold on her wrists. But it was like she was trapped in a living nightmare, and she was blinded to who it was.

"No! NO! Let me go! Stop it! STOP IT!"

"Serenity calm DOWN!" she heard a familiar voice call to her from outside her dream world.

"Seto?" she asked. Suddenly, the bathroom came into vision instead of the dark abyss in which she had found herself. There was Kaiba, soaked to the bone in his clothes, standing in front of her. He was holding onto her wrists, and though trying to be unknowing, he looked and saw bruises forming on her wrist. He knew he didn't put them there. Behind him, Zakura stood with a horrified look on her face. Kaiba reached over and found her towel, and slowly wrapped it around her body. She was still frozen to the spot, but she was aware of what was going on. She finally put her hands down, still shaking.

"He was here…" she said trailing off.

"Who?" Kaiba asked her, both confused and angry.

"Serenity," Zakura said. "That's impossible. No one came here. It was locked from the inside" Serenity heard her words, but felt herself falling. She was shaking, and it was a miracle that she had remained standing for as long as she did. She felt Kaiba reach out and catch her and felt the towel slide from her body. So they didn't believe her either. Something was wrong with her. Really wrong.

"I feel like I'm losing my mind," she said in a whisper before fainting completely in the arms of her lover.

-

-

Well, I'm personally not too pleased with this chapter. I think it could have been better, but I wanted to update as soon as possible. And NOBODY (well, almost) has given me an idea for a new fic yet! Grr! Anyway I need the animes and the couples you people like! O, and I will be doing another seto/serenity fic after this one. It's still in its planning stage, but I made a new friend and we will be co-writing together. I don't know whether she wants to be mentioned or not, so for right now, I won't mention her just because I want to respect her privacy. Ok, so I will update as soon as possible!


	21. Inner Turmoil

Kaiba looked away as Zakura dressed Serenity. He didn't have the heart to look at his lover's naked body; not while she was so hurt.

"Her bruises have healed up nicely," he heard Zakura say somewhere behind him. He let out a sigh that he didn't even know he was holding. Zakura tapped him on the back some five minutes later, and indication that he could turn. Serenity was dressed in a white lace nightgown, her wet hair spread on her pillow. Her lips were swollen, and her whole body seemed to be in a defeated posture. She looked like a fallen angel. Zakura sat up and looked down on her friend sadly.

"What's happening?" she asked softly.

"As if I know the answer," Kaiba snapped, and then quickly softened his look to show Zakura he was sorry. She smiled.

"No hard feelings," she said, and headed toward the door to leave. "You might want to change out of those wet clothes Master." The door soon closed, leaving Kaiba and Serenity alone. He looked at her, feelings of desperation flowing through him. What was happening? The earlier events played through his mind.

"_He was here…" she said trailing off._

"_Who?" Kaiba asked her, both confused and angry._

"_Serenity," Zakura said. "That's impossible. No one came here. It was locked from the inside" Serenity heard her words, but felt herself falling. She was shaking, and it was a miracle that she had remained standing for as long as she did. She felt Kaiba reach out and catch her and felt the towel slide from her body. So they didn't believe her either. Something was wrong with her. Really wrong._

"_I feel like I'm losing my mind," she said in a whisper before fainting completely in the arms of her lover._

Kaiba let out an involuntary shudder, and realized he was cold. He turned away from her and changed into the black sweat pants he usually slept in. His hair was still wet and dripped cold water down his back. He could barely feel it anymore. He heard her stir and turned in time for her to see him. For a long time, they just stared. And then she started to cry.

"I'm not crazy," she told him. "I really am telling the truth…" He came to her and gathered her in his arms. He kissed her forehead, and whispered into her ear.

"Tell me what's going on. I'll believe it, I promise." And Serenity told him everything, from her first hallucination encounter to only an hour earlier in the shower. And Kaiba waited with patience until she was done.

"Do you believe me?" she asked him after a few moments of silence. He breathed in her scent. He could smell Marik's stench still on her, and it took all his strength not to retch.

"Yes, and I'm sorry. I should have known something like this would've happened." She looked up at him.

"Something like what?" she asked. And he told her something she didn't want to hear.

"I think I know what's happening, and why he can control you." He explained Bottled Temptation to her, and watched as her eyes widened with every passing minute.

"When Zakura told me Marik used to be part of your clan, she failed to mention that he was your best friend," she said in a whisper.

"No, we were not friends at all," he told her. "But meeting great power with equal power becomes a necessity sometimes." She understood, but still was shocked somewhat.

"Are you mad at me for keeping this from you?" he asked her. He had buried himself in his work, partly because he had to, and partly because he couldn't face her.

"Not mad," she told him. "I think I'm just a little hurt because you couldn't tell me what was going on. Especially since it concerned me in the first place." He nodded, and kissed her on the forehead. Despite the hurt, she wanted him, now more than ever. She took the initiative and kissed him full on the mouth. He was surprised, but he wanted it as much as she did. He welcomed her, and slowly brought her down with him. Her hurt completely left. She felt like she was truly happy, and the fact that he wasn't keeping a distance between them anymore made her glow. He buried his head in the crook of her neck, and she let him kiss her there. She sighed and heard him mutter something she couldn't hear.

"What?" she asked him, pushing away slightly and smiling at him. She honestly didn't expect him to smile back, but she didn't expect his face to be so serious.

"I said 'Do you love me?'"

Serenity was silent for a few, uncomfortable seconds, and then a small smile spread onto her lips.

"You know I do," she told him, her hand reaching up and stroking his wet hair.

"What do you want?" he asked her gently.

"All I want is to be with you," she told him, her voice just as low as his.

"Forever?"

"Yea," she told him, her mouth now barely an inch from his as she moved in for another kiss. "Forever."

-

-

-

Serenity always used to wonder why sex was such a big deal. Back when she still lived with her mother, the girls at school talked about it all the time. Serenity wasn't a social outcast, but she also didn't talk to everyone. She didn't expect it to happen when she lived with her mother, because she was too young. And she didn't expect it to happen when she lived with her brother, because she knew from their short time together in childhood that he was overprotective.

Things don't always go as expected.

Serenity gently stroked Kaiba's face and watched his chest rise and fall with the steady pace of his breathing. They had made love, but it wasn't the drawn out encounter she had hoped for. But something about it had healed her, and once again, she felt at peace. She never had felt as close to him as she had at that moment. She recalled their earlier conversation, and her small smile widened into a grin. He asked her if she wanted to be with him forever. He always seemed to be surprising her. She leaned forward and kissed his lips softly, before settling in to go to sleep. She slipped herself into his embrace, and slowly, she drifted into sleep.

-

-

-

Kaiba woke just as she had fallen into the abyss of her dreams. He was glad that her tense body had finally relaxed. He didn't feel the ache he usually felt. There was no sexual craving at the moment. For now, he was content. But he knew it would be short lived. A human, no matter how strong willed, could never satisfy a vampire for very long. There was no way that Serenity would last him when she was only human. It was a thought he had always known, something that now, he was trying desperately to avoid. Love, though it had come many centuries too late, had finally found him. A feeling he'd been cold to, and certainly one that he didn't deserve. And he knew he didn't want to let it go, because it had become a feeling that he needed to live, just like the sweet blood that sustained his being. Though he sincerely did love her, he felt as if his love for her was "warped." Possessed. He never wanted to let her go; he would never give her up to anybody. He didn't care if that would cost her happiness one day, because his possessiveness was so powerful that he felt that was the only thing that kept him running at times. But his possessiveness, and his love which was silent but fierce, could not fight things that were out of his control. Death and time were two of those few things. Time was something he had no control over. If he had any, even a small amount of control over it, he wouldn't be living right now. An eternal life where he was subjected to knowing that the hell he was put through day after day was something he would re-live for eternity. Suicide was not an answer, for no matter how far deep he could cut his wrist, enough blood never flowed from the wound. No matter how many times he stabbed himself in his non-existent heart, something had always kept him going. The puppet strings of a fate he never had chosen pulled at him, even though he was never one to be controlled. By anybody. Then she came into his life and killed any of his beliefs that he truly wished for death. Instead, because of her, he wished to live. But he only wished to live for her, because she had finally given meaning to his meaningless existence. A beautiful soul, corrupted by someone who had no soul to speak of. He disgraced himself at times, though he had done too much to care now. But as he looked at his sleeping lover, he felt an overwhelming need for repentance that he knew would never happen. He looked at everything, what was and wasn't hidden beneath the sheer sheet that covered her body. He knew that every time he looked at her, he saw true beauty. But now, his breath was truly taken away. A wounded, but healing angel. His angel. He thought back to the few moments before they had intertwined their bodies.

"_What do you want?" he asked her gently. _

"_All I want is to be with you," she told him, her voice just as low as his. _

"_Forever?" _

"_Yea," she told him, her mouth now barely an inch from his as she moved in for another kiss. "Forever."_

Forever was a long time, something that he knew very well. Because he was destined to live forever. However, she was not.

"Is forever even possible for us?" he asked the sleeping girl. She didn't answer, but only breathed in return. And then he felt his never ending lust for her returning.

_Damn._

He knew he could suppress it, but for how long? He needed her body just as much as he needed blood. But he needed her, body and soul, above all. More than anything, he needed Serenity, just as she was to him right now.

"I'd give anything to be with you," he whispered into her ear, hoping and wishing that she would and wouldn't hear him. What was it about her that he loved so much? Looking at her, he knew it was obvious. He'd give up anything to be with her, even his immortality.

Even though he honestly hated his life, Kaiba knew that there was a sense of security in it that he couldn't get anywhere else. Living for so long, he was accustomed to things the way they were. A night of never ending youth and beauty, an invincibility no human would ever know, and a party that would never end. And to be human…well he shuddered at the thought. Security was something that he always had, but he would consider giving it up for her. But that wasn't possible.

"I'll never be human again," he said softly, more to himself than to her sleeping form. The thought wasn't a revelation, not even a disappointment. It was more like recalling a sad memory that you had long since gotten over. It was a twinge compared to the gripping pain that had once replaced it.

There were only two ways they could be together. One way was if he came to her. That way was an impossibility. But, he knew the other way was just as bleak. If they could be together, she would have to come to him. She would be rid of Marik's hold, but also of her humanity. She would be his vampiress, and he would have her for eternity. He bent down and gathered her into his arms again. He was tired, and wanted to follow her into sleep. But…

"I wonder…if you'd ever do that for me," he whispered into her ear, before slipping away into his own dream world. Even there, she preoccupied his mind.

-

-

-

Kaiba woke early the next morning. Serenity still slept soundly, undisturbed by his sudden movement as he left her warmth behind. He had to do something today, but it wasn't work. It might have even been considered stupid. No, it **was** stupid. But caring was something he was beyond.

-

-

Marik was about to leave his apartment when the door burst open and he suddenly found himself pinned on the floor with his mouth covered.

"Say one word and I'll kill you," a voice said from above him. Marik realized it was Kaiba, and then threw him off with equal force. He was surprised, and amused at the same time.

"I'm usually the one who comes bustling into your house. This is truly an honor. The great Seto Kaiba, world's biggest bastard, has graced me with his presence. I wonder if I should take a picture. I mean, this only happens once ev-"

"Cut the crap Marik," Kaiba said, more anger than he had ever felt racing through him. "Take the bind off Serenity. NOW. Or else I'll kill you."

Marik smirked in return. This was amusing.

"Take the bind off her? Why should I?" he asked, his voice teasing.

"I'm serious about that threat Marik," Kaiba spat at him.

"And I know that we are evenly matched. Or maybe I'm more powerful now."

"And how is that?" Kaiba asked him. Before he knew it, Marik dropped to the ground and kicked Kaiba's feet out from under him. Kaiba stumbled a bit, but retaliated with a punch. Marik blocked it easily, and they stepped away from each other, their fight short lived. But Kaiba was deeply troubled. He should have seen that kick coming.

"Unlike certain fools, I never allow my emotions to cloud my judgment." Marik now smiled.

"You came all the way here for that? Here? To enemy territory? Just for your lover's life, you came to beg?"

"That's funny," Kaiba said, smirking. "I don't remember begging."

"Kaiba, I think you know better than to insult your own intelligence. I bound her to me. She drank enough of our "special" little invention, enough so that I can control her forever. The only way she can be free is if either of us dies. You know that, you had those intentions in mind when we invented it." Kaiba was silent for a moment.

"I'll kill you," Kaiba said.

"You want to fight to the death right here?" Marik asked, a smile on his face. "I wouldn't do that."

"And why not? We're like this any other day."

"One, that wouldn't be right because I full intend on killing you in a much bigger setting. Two, I have somewhere to be at the moment, and three," Marik's smirk was now truly evil. "I don't think even **I** am heartless enough to kill such a defenseless creature."

Kaiba stood there, utterly speechless.

"Me defenseless?" Kaiba said, not knowing whether to be insulted or just to laugh.

"Personally, I wouldn't want my lover knowing that **I** had killed somebody." Kaiba stopped dead.

"Are you stupid?" Kaiba asked incredulously. "She'll be glad if you're dead. You've put her through so much hell-"

"Right after I helped her through the hell that you yourself had put her through," Marik said, cutting him off. "She'll be disgusted by such an act. Killing between vampires is destined to be violent and nothing good comes out of it. How would she feel if you came back to her with hands soiled with blood and murder?"

Kaiba stood motionless, struck by the truth and hatred in his words.

"You know that you can't bring yourself to that."

Kaiba didn't know what to do. So he slammed his fist into the wall instead. He felt sharp pains in all his fingers, and a wet trickling was falling from his knuckles. Blood. His blood.

"Nasty temper Kaiba," Marik told him. He was smirking. He had won one of the many battles between them that had always ended in draws. Though it was only a mind game, he had never felt more pleased with himself.

"Would you like to join me for a drink before you leave?" Marik said, holding up a flask that clearly held blood. "I think you're going to need some energy after hurting yourself like that." Kaiba slapped the flask out of Marik's hand, sending it crashing to the floor. Dark crimson liquid bled from its broken contents.

"I will never take **anything **you give to me," Kaiba spat at him. "I'd rather choke on my own blood."

"That can be arranged," Marik said. "But I'd prefer you to choke on Serenity's blood." All of a sudden, Kaiba reached out and punched Marik in the face. He stumbled back, but otherwise held his balance. When he opened his eyes, which were screwed up with the pain, he glared a look of death at his rival.

"Don't you ever come near her again."

"Do you know that her old boyfriend moved here?" Marik said, clearly not done with his teasing. "You better be careful, because he seems to care about her a lot. He kissed her too." Kaiba let the words sink in, but he felt no emotion toward them. His old way of thinking seemed to have never left him completely.

"Just do what I said."

"I told you there are only two ways that she can be free of my control," Marik told him, as if lecturing to a child.

"There is another way," Kaiba told him, cutting him off before he could say anymore. Marik's eyes widened, going from confusion to realization in under fifteen seconds flat.

"The Infinitude Bond?" Marik asked after a few moments. Then he smiled again. "As if she'd ever agree to that. Unlike what I did, she'd have to be _willing _to do that. And so would you, now that I think about it."

"I'll find a way Marik," Kaiba told him as he turned to leave. "I promise you that."

-

-

-

Zakura sat in the basements with her clan, watching them train and feed. She herself felt disgusted, but she had found out long ago that she sincerely wanted to survive, and the thought of wasting away never appealed to her. Because a vampire could never completely die. All they could do was go crazy from the hunger. To be killed required someone with exceptional power, and few people had that.

"Zakura!" a voice called to her from behind. She turned and saw Mokuba behind her, the crazed look in his eye gone. She knew he had fed, and that he was content and completely sane. He had crimson liquid running from his mouth, and she nearly gagged on the thought of feeding. When too many vampires were in a feeding frenzy, their emotions were tangible to the air. And with so much bloodlust, she felt as if her stomach would retch its contents.

"It's your turn to feed Zakura," Mokuba told her gently; even he knew how much she hated this.

"I'm not hungry," Zakura said.

"But you haven't fed for over three weeks," Mokuba told her, his voice getting a little more forceful. "There's no way you'll make it past next week if you don't eat something."

"I told you I'm not hungry," Zakura told him. Mokuba turned and left, and Zakura's sickness was now replaced by guilt. She hoped she hadn't hurt his feelings. Suddenly he was there, crashing his lips to hers. She was surprised, but felt herself succumbing. And then she tasted the familiar taste in her mouth. He was feeding her! Then he pulled away, and glared at her.

"I prefer to enjoy myself when I kiss you," he told her. "So next time, just do as you're told." She nodded, slightly still in shock from having seen him be so forceful. He then carried her up the stairs and out of the basement, depositing her on one of the many couches. She instantly felt better.

"I wonder why it's so crazy down there," Zakura said, stretching her legs on the couch.

"Because there was a celebration last night," Mokuba told her, coming to sit next to her. "And it was a big one too. We don't have too many of things to be happy about as a clan these days." Zakura thought about this.

"Yea, I guess you're right about that. I'm glad that two of our clan decided to mate for eternity. The Infinitude Bond isn't used that often anymore."

"That's because we can indulge now. We never age, and in this century marrying young isn't common anymore. And betrayal is so much easier to find these days."

"I suppose you're right," Zakura said, leaning against him and cradling her head in the crook of his shoulder.

"That's our way of getting married," Mokuba said. "The special bond from vampire to vampire only. Except there is no divorce. That's why it's usually never done anymore. It's so hard to find someone to love, let alone love them for eternity."

"You're very smart, you know that?" Zakura said, looking up at him with a smile.

"Not as smart as you, because that's all I know about it." Mokuba said. "You got to attend the ceremony between Akito and Seri. I'm not of a high enough status yet. What was it like?" Zakura had to laugh; it was as if he were a toddler asking for a bedtime story, instead of a guy asking for the relationship information of two of their own clan.

"I'm serious," Mokuba said.

"Okay, okay," Zakura said, her laughter subsiding and the mood becoming serious. "Well, I don't really know how to explain it." Mokuba inched closer.

"There's not really much to tell," Zakura said. "Why don't you just ask your brother?" At the mention of his brother, Mokuba's face now had a sad smile. He changed the subject.

"Do you know if Serenity made the bond with him, she'd be free of Marik completely." Zakura also smiled sadly, but quickly turned her attitude upbeat. She definitely wanted to keep the mood happy.

"Just forget about that. I have something else I want to do." Now she was smiling. Mokuba raised his eyebrow.

"Like what?" he asked her. She smiled and slipped her arms around his neck.

"You'll see."

-

-

-

Serenity woke to find Kaiba sleeping next to her. She didn't know that he had left her only an hour earlier, but she could tell he hadn't been there the whole time. For one thing, body was cold against hers. Suddenly, he stirred, opening his eyes to look at her.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" she said to him.

"I was never asleep," he told her.

"Oh."

She didn't know what else to say to him. But she hated the silence even more.

"You never did tell me about your past," she said to him. "I mean, there had to be something before you being, well, what you are."

"I'm a vampire," he said to her, looking her clear in the face. "Does that bother you? Are you ashamed of it?"

"No," she told him, startled by his sudden change in mood. "No, it's not like that at all." He didn't reply, but instead stared at his pillow. She could tell that he was mellow now. She was a little startled by his sudden outburst, but she was sure something was going on that she simply couldn't understand. That seemed to be happening a lot lately. She leaned over and kissed him gently on the cheek.

"Don't keep all your problems inside, okay?" She turned to go to sleep, but he grabbed her arm and made her face him. He kissed her then, one that took her breath away. After a few seconds, she pushed him away, panting.

"You need to warn me when you're going to do tha-" she started to say, but stopped when she realized that he was panting words she couldn't understand.

"Ar… e… me," he said. She looked at his face, flushed and red, and realized he was saying something important to her. She instantly forgot her hostility.

"What did you say?" she asked him, leaning in closer and trying to understand him. Then, like so many times before, he pinned her. But no matter what, she had never felt this balance of emotion in him before. There was something in his eyes that she couldn't read, something she had never seen before.

"I said marry me."

-

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-

A/N: Wow, I'm so sorry that it took so long to get this chapter out. But I just started school, so I'm trying to do my best. Anyway, I hope you all like this chapter, especially the ending. There's actually a twist to his words, it's not what you think. Hehe o well, everyone will find out about this soon enough. I just thought I'd let everyone know that this precious story of mine is winding down. I'm not saying it's going to end claps my hands like that, but I don't exactly think it's gonna reach 40 chapters (know what I mean?) But it shouldn't be ending for a while, so no one freak out, kay? Anyway, I know a lot of people are going to be confused by the new thing I've just thrown in here, The Infinitude Bond. When it is explained in the next chapter, it won't exactly be thorough. I'm not exactly going in depth here, but I'll just give…something. Ok, just so no one will be confused, I'm going to try to take you people through it.

-

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When two vampires decided they love each other enough to spend eternity together, they usually agree to commit to each other by committing the infinitude bond. It's not exactly marriage, because marriage is a holy union, and we all know creatures of the night aren't holy, riiiiight? Lol! Ok, so by the light of night, they make the vow before their clan. They recite vows, and kneel before their leader, who actually controls bother their lives. He gives the blessing, and they both pour a little of their blood into a cup of special liquid, which signifies their binding. They sip the blood of their lover, and then pour the liquid onto their body. (This signifies, "my blood is your blood, my body is your body, etc. etc.") Okay, so after that, they hold hands, fingers linked. A high authority figure (usually the leader of the clan) descends upon them and takes out a blade. He cuts around both their wrists, so that they bleed together. And then, they bare their fangs and bite each other, never letting go of the other's hand. They suck the others blood, pull away, and get up again. They are now bonded to each other, body and soul. When one is in pain, the other can feel everything they're feeling. So, then the ceremony is over, and they feed together for the first time as mates.

Ok, that was a pretty bad summary, but that's all I could say. Ok, hope you liked the chapter!

Always,

Love-in-the-dark


	22. Choices past & present

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! This chapter will have many elements to it, but it is also somewhat flashback-ish! You'll have Serenity's whole past layed before you! I know that this chapter took a long time to come out, but hopefully it will be worth the wait.

-

-

-

Serenity blinked. She felt that was all she could do, because every fiber of her being seemed to be stunned into submission by his words. Marry him? She somehow knew that she had heard him wrong, she had to have had.

"Wh-wh-what?" she finally managed to say.

"Don't pretend that you didn't hear me," he told her. Now she knew that the impossible reality confronting her was indeed that. Reality.

"I don't understand," she told him, because even in her shock she was generally confused. "Why would you ask me that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked. "If I bonded with you, Marik's hold on you would be gone."

"Bonded?" she asked.

"Vampires can't exactly get married," he told her, getting off of her and leaning back against the headboard of his bed. "So we bind ourselves to each other instead."

"That's it?" she asked him. And for some reason, anger rose inside of her. "Then I can't do it." Now he was the one in submission.

"What?" he asked her. Slowly. Dangerously.

"If that's your only reason, I don't want anything to do with it," she told him.

"Do you realize what you're saying?" he asked her, leaning over. She should've expected this; after all, he wasn't used to rejection. Let alone her rejection.

"You know," she told him. "Despite popular relief right now, I **AM **completely sane. Meaning, yes Kaiba, I do realize what I'm saying." Her voice quivered with the last few words. She was starting to crack under her façade of anger and indifference. In truth, the fact that some sort of proposal had come from his mouth, had made her incredibly _happy_. He seemed to notice this, as once again he pinned her under him.

"How about adding some truth to your words?" he asked her. "I know Marik's not going to control you tonight Serenity." She looked up at him, shocked.

"Yes, I know that it's possible for him to do that," he said to her, as if answering her silent question. She nodded slowly, taking it all in. Of course he'd know. He'd INVENTED it after all.

"I love you," she told him. "Isn't that enough of a truth?" He shook his head. No, it wasn't.

"Do you think you love me enough to want to be with me?" he asked her. "I mean, **really **be with me?"

"Yes," she told him. She loved him enough, she was sure of that.

"Even to give up humanity?" She thought about this. But her mind seemed to be so cluttered at that moment…

"Maybe," she whispered softly. Suddenly, he was angry.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, pushing himself off of her. "It's not like I'm asking you to bear me an heir or anything!" Suddenly, he wished he hadn't said that. Her face flushed red from his words.

_Bear him an heir? _She thought. _Would I have to do that?_

The thought of having his child growing inside of her only made her face flush a deeper shade of crimson.

"It's not the same," she retorted. "That would be giving up nine months of my life! We're not talking about nine months; we're talking about my whole life. Eternity!"

"So you'd rather have my child, and raise it without me, than to have me at all?" he asked her, already feeling jealous of their non-existent child. A child that may not even **come **into existence.

"That's not what I…" she started, but then he cut her off.

"But you'd give up most of your life to your former lover who just came into your life again?" he asked her, his voice rising with every word. She just stopped.

"How'd you…?" she asked, letting the question linger in the air. He looked down at the floor, his fists clenched white with anger

She needed to breathe, that was it. But then, she felt herself start to shake. The tears of exasperation were coming to her, no matter how much she tried to hide them. Suddenly, he was there, holding out his arms to her in a questioning way. She stepped into them, allowing herself, like so many times before, to be held by an immortal.

"Just…think about it," he told her. It was a demand, not a question. But it was a gentle demand, and one she was willing to abide by.

-

-

-

Kaiba let Serenity sleep in, not bothering to touch her as he left the room. She had unexpectedly fainted the night before, but once he had found out that she was breathing evenly, he had layed her down and hadn't touched her since. He had a matter for his clan today, and went into the darkness to greet them. Zakura stayed by his side, as did Mokuba, Bakura, and Shiori. In a week, they would welcome back people they hadn't seen for a very long time.

"When we welcome them, they will stand and make their decision before us," Kaiba announced, and a unanimous murmur of agreement followed his words.

"They are not to arrive until the sun is at its highest peak," he told them, "and, no matter their decision, they are not to leave until the moon is at its highest. Otherwise, kill them." Kaiba's voice, icy and cold, sent chills down everyone's spine, including those closest to him.

"You are dismissed," he said to them, and all at once, they scattered.

"I haven't heard him use that voice in a about a week," Zakura whispered to Mokuba "I'd say that's a record." Mokuba smiled, reaching over and gently planting a kiss on her cheek. Zakura blushed profusely, causing Bakura to laugh.

"Aww man," he later complained, hanging off of Mokuba like he was drunk. "The one girl in this clan that seemed untouchable by any man is yours? Really? That right there is my fantasy." He pointed right at Zakura, making a point of her red mini dress that dipped low in front and matched her hair. She truly did look beautiful.

"I always thought Kaiba was going to be the one who broke her in," Bakura slurred, and Mokuba concluded that he really **was** drunk, just keeping a sober demeanor. "So tell me Mokuba, how good is she in bed?" Zakura's face was now mortified, and she came up and hit Bakura in the head. All he did was smile.

"Hey nooowwwwww," he said, making a big show of turning around. "Is that any way to treat me? Ok, we can make up for it now. Let's all go drinking."

"You've got to be kidding," Zakura said, rolling her eyes and shrugging him off when he put his arm around her. "You're drunk enough. You don't need any more alcohol in your system." Bakura gave a goofy grin.

"Mokubaaaa," he said, going back to his friend. "Please, please please please? It's no fun to drink alone." Mokuba had to smile at that. He did need some entertainment every now and then, and what better way then to watch his blood brother make a complete and utter fool of himself? He groaned inwardly. It was humor like this that made him more like his brother; his entertainment came at the cost of another's pride, pain, or sanity.

"Sure Bakura," Mokuba said. "I could use a bit of fun." Bakura cheered like a toddler, and Zakura shot Mokuba a look. He shrugged, and gave her a fake pout. She sighed.

"Fine," Zakura said, waving her hand in indifference. Bakura's stupid smirk seemed to widen even further.

"Ooooookay then," Bakura said, turning around. "How about you, Shiori? Huh?" Bakura did a double take. She was there a minute ago.

"Shiori?"

-

-

-

Shiori had to leave. There were too many people who could find out about her, and what she was really up to. The pressure was starting to get to her. And Marik was waiting for her. He hoped that she wouldn't suffer at his inconvenience; after all, she was very later for their meeting. Marik waited for her in the park; the very park where he had first met Serenity. Or attacked her was a better word. He was there, waiting on a bench with a lazy look in his eyes.

"You're late," he told her, his voice oddly calm.

"We had a meeting about 'The Coronation,'" Shiori said.

"Ah," he said. "I understand." Then, his face took on a seriousness.

"When is it?" he asked her.

"In a week," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because that's when I'll make my move," Marik said, clenching his fists. "This will all end soon."

"So, what did you need me for?" Shiori asked, hoping to put a dent in the silence.

"I think Serenity needs to have a little family reunion with her brother," Marik said, smiling. "Make sure you can arrange that. Let her see what she's missing." Marik took a flask out of his pocket and sipped at the liquid inside. He offered to Shiori. She smirked at him.

"Taking that from you would be like asking for a death wish," she told him, pushing it to the side and walking away. He smirked as he watched her retreating back, drowning himself in the sweet taste of the liquid that filled his mouth.

"She's smarter than I give her credit for," Marik said, smirking to himself.

-

-

-

Serenity awoke to find a note on the bedside table, written in Kaiba's steady handwriting.

There is an important clan meeting tonight.

Do no go outside this room.

-S.K.

Serenity could never forget that Kaiba was a vampire king, but sometimes she did forget that he had a whole army beneath him, slithering in and out of the mansion and the basement like snakes. And if she accepted what he had asked her, she would be his queen.

"I can't imagine him tied to anyone," she quietly whispered to herself. Her thoughts returned to him, and she realized that he left her body starving for more. It was a trait that he seemed to have passed onto her throughout the many times their bodies had connected. If she was a vampire, would she be driven by this same lust? Or would it be more intense?

Serenity looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing her small white night gown, and her hair was still slightly rumpled from sleeping. Her lips were swollen from his endless kisses, and her eyes shone with a maturity that she was sure hadn't been there a few months ago. She was changed, and somehow she wasn't shocked. But, despite how much her appearance had changed, one thing about it didn't. She still looked human. Looking into the mirror, she pressed her warm body against the cold glass. She couldn't help it. She felt so incredibly hot, thinking about him and the way her body practically melted into his. The cool glass felt so good, cooling her hot skin back to a normal body temperature. Or as close to normal as it could be.

Serenity looked at her stomach in the mirror, and placed her hands over it. She tried to imagine having his child growing beneath her finger tips, but somehow couldn't conjure the image in her mind. She looked at herself again, and tried to imagine living forever and never aging. While she would grow wiser with years, her exterior would never show it, just as Kaiba's didn't. She could die young, and in truth, live to never die. She could spend eternity with someone who made her feel in a way that no man had made her feel before.

Serenity thought back to her old life, the coolness of the mirror bringing her to a calm place where she seemed to remember everything, good or bad. About her brother, and despite their long distance relationship, how close they were. It seemed impossible to think back to their days of innocence, before their father had made a horrible turn and turned abusive. Before their mother had succumbed to his horrible behavior, and how they had lived in fear. Serenity's mother had been beaten so badly one night that Serenity, only nine at the time, had gone to bed with her, secretly scared of finding her mother's cold, dead body next to hers the next morning. But, instead of dying, her mother had gotten up and took Serenity with her to the car. Her father was out cold from liquor, and it was so easy to get by, despite the fact that her mother could barely move from all the abuse she had taken. They drove for four straight days. Her mother had cried the entire time. In her desperation to get out, she had only taken one child with her. She had left her son to deal with three times the abuse and anger. She had written Joey a letter, telling him how sorry she was and that she'd do anything in her power to get him back. She told him so many things, pouring her heart out to several pieces of paper, and then sending it. She was never sure if Joe had gotten the letter or not, and that had devastated her even more. A year and a half afterward, her mother had finally found the courage to call her father. He threatened to sue her for child abandonment, and she had finally spoken up and threatened to retaliate with abuse. They came to a silent pact; there would be no court case, nor a divorce. She had tried, but he had stubbornly refused. It seemed that no matter what, he still wanted to know that he was connected to her somehow, making her suffer. He wouldn't give to Joe back to her either. Serenity's mother had begged to talk to Joe, but her father wouldn't let her.

_You can't talk to that little piece of shit. He's out getting himself in trouble again. I swear, every night, goes out, smokes, drinks, has sex… His grades are shit, and he starts fights at school everyday. Sent a kid to the hospital last week… I don't _have_ the money to deal with all this thirteen year old shit!_

And then he had hung up. Serenity had been shocked to learn her brother had changed all in one year. Her mother had broken down, blaming herself for her son's horrible behavior. Maybe she was what they would call heart sick, Serenity could never be sure. She had never been the same, barely coming out of her pit of despair to play a good mother to her. Serenity had written her brother many letters over the years they were apart. She told him of her new life, how much she missed him, and sometimes, about how bad her life was. She new she had no right to complain, for his was probably worse, but she still told him anyway.

One day, Serenity's mother had fallen so far into depression that Serenity felt she needed to go to a hospital. She was scared, and left a tear-woven message on her father's answering machine. It was meant for Joe, and she knew her father was probably passed out from drinking and wouldn't hear it. She was only twelve; she wasn't supposed to deal with this by herself. While she sat in the cold glare of the waiting room light, a boy approached her. She almost didn't recognize him. The look of childlike innocence had left him, he was taller, and more mature looking. His body was no longer that of a skinny twelve year old, but of a muscular fifteen year old. But there was no mistaking it; this was her brother. She remembered how their first conversation in three and a half years had gone. He held up a stack of beat up letters, the first one their mother's from all those years ago.

_Sorry I didn't get your letters, I think good 'ol dad forgot where he put 'em for a few years. _

And then she was crying on his shoulder. Their mother had been overjoyed to see her son, but the rift between them was so big, neither new what to do. Joe had gone back to live with their father, vowing to get himself out of the hell hole that was his life. His grades had never gotten better, but his life overall did. Their mother was in and out of the hospital after that. When Joe turned sixteen, their father got turned into rehab, where he'd be for a long time. Joe told Serenity to wait until he turned eighteen, because by that time he'd be able to support both of them. It was a disturbing coincidence that their mother had died the same week he had legally became an adult. It was hard to say good bye, but she had her brother, and he would always be there for her. Now he was a puppet to an immortal puppet master. Every move he made was determined by the pull of an invisible string.

She thought about Duke, and the wonderful way he treated her. She felt sick, as she thought it wasn't enough for her. She needed something more than he could give her, so she had let a best friend as well as a lover go. She tried to think about what he would say to her if she had told him everything that had happened. He would smile, and try to find the humor in the situation.

"Well, that's what you get for not sticking with me." She silently mouthed the words that she knew he would say. She wanted to cry for the pain she had caused him, maybe even both of them.

The door opening interrupted her thoughts, causing her to turn. Kaiba came in, looking tired.

"Are you okay?" she asked him, quietly walking over to his side. She had the feeling he would rather die than let his exterior falter from exhaustion around her.

"I'm fine," he said, walking past her and sitting on the bed. She sat next to him, wrapping her arms around his tense body. He turned and kissed her fully, as if getting recharged by her.

"You should rest," she told him, feeling as if she **were** his wife. "You look tired."

"Maybe I am," he said, lying back onto the bed. "But this is only a taste of what's coming this week. With the Coronation and all…"

"Coronation?" she asked him, lying beside him and wrapping her arms around his warmth. "What's that?"

"Something that's hard to explain," he told her, turning over to sleep.

"You can't just leave me wanting more," she told him. He smirked and turned his face to kiss her. She felt his hand travel downwards toward her legs, and he caressed her inner thigh in a way that drove her wild. And then suddenly, he stopped.

"I can leave you wanting more anytime," he told her, pulling away with a smirk. "But I doubt that I'd keep doing it." And he closed his eyes and didn't say another word. Serenity felt his body slip into sleep with the steady movement of his chest. She stared at him, taking in his beauty. He had asked her to be his, someone he could turn to for eternity. Someone that would be immortal, just like him. Someone who would be his queen, his mate, and his eternal lover. Someone who would give up her life to be with him. That someone…would be her.

-

-

-

Ok, time for more explaining! This sux, I have to stop adding new things! Ok, im just kidding!

When a vampire gives birth, its to a human child. They can't bite their baby at birth, or even as a small child, because they don't have the strength to endure such a thing and they'd die. They don't age once they are bitten, so that's another reason they don't bite them so young. Once they give birth, they are faced with two options: 1.) They can stay with their clan and raise their child, not being guaranteed safety or anything. Their child would grow up with the clan and learning the ways. 2.) The y can take their child and raise them in the human world until they are ages 16-18. It depends. Ok, once they reach a certain age, they come before their clan and make a decision on whether or not they want to live in the human world or with their clan. Usually, they cannot choose to be a regular human because they know too much. If they say no, they walk after spending a day there. Simple as that. If they say yes, however, the leader descends on them and bites them, thus tying them forever to the clan and to him. It's like a blood/loyalty ceremony. Ok, hope that clears up what 'Coronation' means.

- love-in-the-dark


	23. Confessions Of Doubt

When Serenity awoke the next morning, he was gone. She had to smirk at herself, wondering why she wished he would be waiting for her. He had no right to; after all, she hadn't given him an answer to his question, and she knew he hated being unanswered. She hated not being able to answer, but somehow her mind cluttered at the thought.

"I need to go for a walk," she mumbled silently to herself, getting out of bed and looking for some clothes. Fifteen minutes later, Serenity walked out the door of the mansion, feeling as if she was breathing untainted air for the first time. She hated thinking those kinds of thoughts, but she accepted them instead of denying them like she usually did. She wanted to see her brother, but feeling the breeze blow over the denim fabric of her jeans and the sheerness of her blue tank top, she felt like the sky itself. Not wanting to be spoiled when everything seemed so beautiful. Suddenly, a logo came upon her vision. She was sure that the building had been abandoned, but then the familiar words filled her eyes.

_Dungeon Dice Monsters._

_Duke…_

She had forgotten he had bought a business in town.

Serenity honestly felt that if she went in that building, she wouldn't have been able to handle it. Because memories always seemed to be what brought her back to the place within herself where she never wanted to be. Somewhere, to a dark place…that is where they always brought her. Whether it was the awful memories of time spent with one, or the cherished memories of time spent with another, it didn't matter. But, he was her best friend…her first love…almost her first for everything

Serenity wondered why this nostalgic feeling suddenly filled her, but her mind seemed to lose itself as she pushed open the door to the shop.

-

-

-

Duke seemed pleasantly surprised to see her, greeting her with a smile and an offer for some food. And all thoughts of her new life, filled with people she once thought could only exist inside of her childhood fairy tales, went away as she settled comfortably into her old skin. She had forgotten how easy it was to talk to him, how she was never flustered, despite how nervous she was around him before.

"You came on one of the slow days," he told her, smiling with the genuine good nature that she remembered. "Maybe it was fate."

_Fate…_

Fate was such a cruel word.

"Anything you want to tell me?" he asked her, grinning.

"My boyfriend asked me to marry him," she said, so quickly that she realized that she hadn't wanted to say that to him; she wanted to say that to anybody BUT him. He coughed, choking slightly on the lemonade he was drinking. The playful demeanor was gone from his eyes, and she instantly regretted that it was her fault.

"He's a very lucky man," he told her quietly. "So, what did you say?" he asked her, wiping his mouth and closing his eyes. She wanted him to look at her, not turn away. She felt her hands clench into fists on her lap.

"I…I haven't given him an answer yet," she stuttered out.

"I didn't know that you and this 'boyfriend' of yours were that serious," he said to her, being genuine instead of sarcastic. She thought about this. Boyfriend? Was he her boyfriend? She tried and failed to imagine him holding that title. Being faithful to one woman was also difficult for her to imagine. But yet, he had said it. Marrying him was something so amazing and so dreadful that she felt her chest tearing in grief of choosing which of the two triumphed.

"I don't know what we are," she finally told him truthfully.

"That's not good Ren," he said, and the use of her old nickname almost brought tears to her eyes.

"I know," she said, half sobbing.

Duke came next to her, and held her in a hug.

"Hey, don't cry," he said, offering up a smile. "I didn't mean to make you cry Ren."

"It's not you," She said, still somehow resisting his kindness. "It's not your fault."

"Ren," he said, tipping her head up to meet his eyes. "Can't you just let me comfort you? Just this once?" She didn't remember saying yes, and she didn't remember saying no. All she knew was that she fell into his embrace, and she stayed there for a long time.

-

-

-

Serenity probably only stayed in his arms for twenty minutes, but she felt that she needed more. If the door hadn't opened, she wouldn't have left, and she wouldn't have seen the nightmare placed before her.

"I'm sorry," a voice said from behind them. "I thought this was a shop, not a love shack." Serenity felt herself stiffen. The voice that haunted her nightmares, the one that was so icy and so cold…

Marik.

"Look buddy," Duke said, getting up. "I'm on break, so if you need anything, you're going to have to come back in an hour." Marik completely ignored Dukes, his gaze focusing on Serenity.

"I'm surprised," Marik said, a malicious gleam coming to his eye. "They say vampires are the ultimate lovers, but here you are, unsatisfied."

"That's not it," she told him, her voice quivering with fear.

"You know this guy?" Duke asked, genuinely surprised.

"Oh yes," Marik answered smirking. "We have quite a colorful history. Don't we?" Serenity could feel her body starting to shake, but she hoped Duke couldn't figure out why. She knew that was a stupid hope, he knew her too well.  
"Ren, don't tell me this is-"

"No," she said, cutting him off. "He's not my boyfriend. He's nothing."

"Nothing, oh that hurts," Marik answered, smirking in his sarcasm. "And boyfriend? Oh, so he's your boyfriend now? I didn't think you were anything to him but a love slave."

"No," she told him, barely able to speak up. Duke's eyes widened.

"Love slave?" he asked. Then, his eyes darkened with anger. "Look buddy, I don't need you coming into my store and spouting shit about my best friend! Get out or I swear I'm calling the cops." Marik chuckled.

"No human can hurt me mortal," he said, smirking. "I'm to fast for them to mortally wound me."

"Mortal?" Duke said.

"However," Marik continued. "I do not feel like causing a scene, so I'll take my leave." And with that, he walked out the door. Immediately, Duke turned around and shook her shoulders.

"What was he talking about?" Duke demanded angrily. "Serenity, what's happened to you? What have you been doing? Vampires and mortals?" He was at a loss for words.

"I have no idea what he's talking about," she told him after a few minutes. How could she tell him the truth? There was no way he would believe her. She looked into Duke's eyes and saw a mixture of uncertainty and disappointment. She hated knowing that she had put it there.

"Serenity," he began slowly. "I hope you know how much I feel for you. I might not believe you, but if you say what you're telling me is the truth, I'll believe you."

It took all the strength in her head to nod.

"You should head home, because your boyfriend might get jealous if he knew you were spending so much time with another guy." He smiled. "I know I would." She hugged him quickly and ran out the door, being afraid of looking up and being lost in the eyes that were so far from her lover's, yet so close to her heart.

-

-

-

Kaiba came home to find Serenity sleeping, her arms wrapped tightly around a pillow. He didn't do anything to wake her, instead leaving her alone and going to finish some work. But if he looked closer, he would've seen her tears that flowed down her face.

-

-

-

Kaiba sat down in his den, remembering a time that only work had made him this distressed. It was something he wouldn't have thought possible for a human to bring out in him. He felt like punching the wall, because not knowing what was going on inside her head made the rage he felt grow. There was so much uncertanty in their relationship that he felt as if the pain would kill one of them before it allowed them to be together. He wished he knew what he could do for her, even for himself. Becuase there was nothing worse then living like this.

-

-

-

"Zakura?" Serenity said as she awoke to her friend's pleasant voice.

"Yes?" she said, tidying up around the room. Serenity almost smiled; her friend was certainly a neat freak. But the smile soon disappeared from her face, as she knew she had called her friend's name with the intention of asking a question. A question that had haunted her nightmares, that had led doubts to cloud her mind.

"Did you love anyone else, before Mokuba?"

Zakura blushed in surprise at the mention of the word 'love,' but otherwise was clueless as to where this conversation was going.

"I did," she whispered slowly, "Before I was turned. Oh Serenity, we were going to be together is what he always told me; but once I was turned, I left him behind."

_Left...him...behind_

"...What would you say if you knew life with him would be less complicated?" Serenity's voice was shaking now, and Zakura raised an eyebrow.

"Where...is this conversation going?" she asked, her voice a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"Just tell me!" Serenity said, her voice was now what was shaking.

"Serenity," Zakura said, coming to her friend and shaking her slihgtly by the shoulders. "Why? Are you telling me...you're having doubts about him?"

-

-

-

0.0 Wow! I have not updated for a long time. Unfortunetly, my ocmputer broke! But I'm back now (hopefully!) Yes, I know this chapter was short, but I'll try my best on the next one.

ciao,

L0ve-in-the-dark


	24. Losing It

He was a beautiful being of the night. He was someone who had stolen her heart time and time again. Was she having doubts? She didn't give any indication to show any answer.

"I have nothing to doubt," she said, shoving her hands up in defiance. "I am nothing official to him, so I have nothing to say."

"How can you say that when you love him?" Zakura said, shocked at her friend's sudden change in emotions.

"I don't want to deal with any of this!" Serenity said, standing up. She was losing it. Even though it was brief, she had had a small taste of her old life again. And she found a painful realization within herself. She missed it. She missed it very, VERY badly. "I just want to be normal again! I want my old life back, ok! That's it!" Serenity felt as if she would lose her balance, because there was so much emotion going on inside her head. Zakura said nothing, but went over to her friend and gently pressed down on her shoulders to make her sit.

"You shouldn't say things like that," Zakura whispered, keeping her voice low. "Just stop."

"I can't speak the truth anymore?" she said, her voice getting darker with rage. "Is that what my life is coming to?"

"No," Zakura said, her voice stricken with grief. "Just stop. You are a fool if you think that no one will hear this conversation. Even walls have ears within our clan."

"What about my brother Zakura!" Serenity shrieked. "You don't know anyuthing about that, do you? One of your 'kind' turned him into a puppet! Made him lifeless, stole his life unwilllingly! They made his girlfriend a puppet too, made her the one who would pull his strings, and that made her suffer even more!" Serenity closed her eyes and made her tears fall down her cheeks. Zakura's eyes widened.

"I didn't know," Zakura said. She didn't know what else to say.

"I didn't tell anyone," Serenity said. "Because I was forbidden to leave here. I'm like your human entertainment, a prisoner!"

"You don't believe that," Zakura said, her voice going lower. "I'm your friend Serenity, I always have been."

"Don't tell me what I can and can't believe Zakura!" Serenity yelled at her friend. "You've yet to experience a life so full of suffering!"

The air between them went rigid at that moment. And, without warning, Zakura stood up suddenly.

"Don't tell me I have yet to experience suffering!" she said, her voice taking on a harshness that Serenity had yet to hear from her. "You know nothing!"

"Then tell me so I can understand Zakura!" Serenity said to her.

"What makes you think you can understand?" Zakura said, her voice bitter and angry. "A mere...**human**."

Serenity felt as if her world shattered for the twentieth time. How many times was she going to be brought down? Though it was nothing compared to what Zakura could have said, being felt as if, she couldn't understand someone close to her. And in truth, she couldn't. But it hadn't hit her until this very moment. She would never fully understand her friend's struggles, much less the struggles of her lover. And the truth seemed to be stabbing her over and over again. She tried to reach out to touch her friend, but thought better of it and pulled away at the last second. Zakura started across the room, and only stopped for a brief moment by the doorway.

"Just remember what I told you that one time," Zakura said. "Be careful. And not just of Marik...but of master himself."

And she was gone.

-

-

-

Kaiba put his hand to his head, a sudden jolt of pain growing. He suddenly got the indication that something was wrong. He couldn't explain it, just as he couldn't explain a lot of things, but went with his instincts and decided to stop working for the day. As he opened the door, he ran into Zakura, tears running down her face.He was quite taken aback; he had only seen her cry in pity, but the look upon her face was one of unmistakeable pain.

"Zakura?" he said, but she passed him, not even bothering to try and keep her dignity in tact. He didn't have to look past the hallway to see the source of her grief. Outside of her room, Serenity stood; her face was downcast in guilt. He smirked as he approached her.

"I didn't think you were capable of making anyone cry," he said, coming closer to her. Her shoulders only hunched in response as she let out a long sigh that she had been holding. "But I like a woman who can be aggressive every once in a while."

"You like a lot of things, don't you?" she asked him quietly.

He was taken aback by her sarcasm. He didn't see it coming; this day was getting more unpredictable by the minute. Suddenly, he noticed a knew secent in the air. His senses had always been keener when he was stressed. All over Serenity was a male scent he had never smelled before. It didn't belong to him, nor that scum Marik. It didn't belong to anyone he had ever come in contact with before...it was human. Suddenly his mood changed dramatically.

"Where have you been all day?" he asked her. She startled slightly, but attempted to make up for it.

"Sleeping," she said simply, turning to go back to her room. "I'm really tired..."

He grabbed her wrist before she could say anything else.

"I hate when you lie to me," he told her. He saw the fear in her eyes when she realized she couldn't screw him over on this one.He shoved her into her room, stepped in after her, and closed the door.

"I'll ask again, where did you go?"

"I went to see my friend," she said, her voice shaken up a little.

"Is your friend male?" he asked. Serenity thought so quickly; she had learned to do that over the time here. Seh could still fool him, if only for a little while.

"Yes," she said, offering up a smile. "He was one of my brother's friends, and he's new to town. I just ran into him, and we had tea since its been so long. He's trying to find a better job so he can support his girlfriend." Kaiba raised an eyebrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes, her name's Kurumi," she said quickly, making up a name off the top of her head. He stepped back and hung his head. Fine. If she was going this far to lie to him, he would just have to let her.

"Fine," he said, turning away from her."Okay. Just come to my room tonight." And he left the room. She couldn't help but sigh in relief. She felt no guilt, and that made her feel that something was missing. But she didn't dwell on it, for she was too happy to get away with her story. She wanted to go for another walk, but decided to take a different route for if she saw Duke, she felt she'd lose herself again. The past was too much of a temptation and she knew she'd take it. Not because she felt no love for Kaiba, and not because she was miserable with her existence. She felt she was shedding her old skin for a new one, but she wasn't completely there yet. She wanted some comfort in familiarity. And the past gave her that. She walked into the brisk evening air, holding her arms around herself in a hug to keep warm. The setting sun was beautiful; how long had it been since she had been so calm like this? Not very long...

"Hello Serenity," a voice said from behind. It was the voice she hated, but she somehow wasn't as scared as she had been in the past. She had finally learned to expect the unexpected. She turned, a look of calm on her face.

"Hello Marik," she said. "WHat damage have you come to do now." He smirked.

"Nice to know you're not so scared of me anymore," he said. "But I come to offer you but five minutes of family time." Suddenly her blood went cold.

"Family time?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "It is said among humans that they wishe to be with their loved ones before they die. And seeing as your brother only haa but one week and counting left..."

"What do you know about my brother?" she asked suddenly, her calm demeanor forgotten. And Marik stepped to the side, only to reveal someone he had been hiding behind his back. Serenity had to cover her mouth to hold in a scream. She honestly thought she had seen the living dead, but in reality, all that was there was her brother. He was an almost starved, half wasting away version of a human; but he was still her brother.

"Joe!" she said, running to him and then dropping to her knees.

"Ser...en...it...y?" he asked, his voice hoarse. She knew that for the moment, it was him. The real him. She cradled her brother's head against the nape of her neck, and began to cry. After a moment, a shaking had was clutching her shoulder and a hoarse voice was crying silently with her.

"Oh Joey," she said, steadying her voice slightly, "I thought I'd never see you again. I mean, you as in you."

"Same here Serenity," he said. "My God, what's happening? What happened to me? And Mai..."

"Where is Mai?" Serenity asked, aware that her brother's girlfriend was nowhere in sight.

"She's okay. She's back at...that guy's place." Joey turned a head and glared at Marik, who merely smirked in return.

"Stay still," Serenity ordered, pulling her brother to her again. "You shouldn't move, not when you're like this."

"Dammit Serenity," he said, trying and failing to prop himself up by himself. "This is the only time I can move. When I'm like THIS. A puppet." Puppet. A word she had heard so much but decided had no meaning. Until now.

"I've been hearing things, so I guess I'll get them out in the open before I'm not really 'me' again," he said. "That bastard over there told me you and Kaiba are in love, and that you're really serious." Serenity managed to nod. In the old days, she would've blushed furiously, despite any situation. Times had changed.

"Well, I never really like that guy," he began. "But if he makes you happy, then I approve. I can't think of anyone who deserves to be happy more than you." Serenity's onslaught of tears came stronger and faster now.

_I can, _she thought. _It's you._

And then, despite his situation and his pain, he smiled at her. A truly genuine smile.

"I love you so much," she told him, hugging him closer.

"Now don't get all mushy on me," he told her, attempting to bring humor to the situation. "But if it helps, I love you too. I'm not going to be the last man to say that to you. Make sure you hold on to the important things Serenity, because life's just so damn unfair."

"This reunion is so sickeningly sweet," Marik said, cutting them both off. "But I'm afraid you can't play with this puppet anymore than necessary." And with that, he literally tore her brother away from her. Just as he was about to disappear, she found her voice again.

"Wait!" she called. "Please, don't do this! Give my brother back to me. He's all I have, please. Let him live; just let him and Mai go. I'll do anything...anything." Marik smirked, unknown to her. This was what he had been waiting for. Soon, everything would be in place.

"Anything you say?" and he threw an unconcious Joe to the ground and came up to her. She seemed to shake as his precense came close. He knew that she felt powerless as soon as he came close.

"Even if I...kiss you?" he asked. She closed her eyes, but nodded. He leaned his mouth forward and caught hers. She tried her hardest not to pull away.

"Even...if I take that purity or yours and mix it with my corruption?" and he slowly inched his hand toward her body. Serenity shut her eyes and dug her fingernails into her palms. She felt blood rushing down her hands. Then she heard him laugh and opened her eyes.

"Well, I will take one thing from you," now he faced her dead on. "Commit the infinitude bond with me."

A moment seemed to pass where everything inside of Serenity died.

"But...that's how vampires..."

"Get married?" he said, cutting her off. "Yes, I know. And that's the only way I won't kill your brother. Commit yourself to me."

"Isn't there some other way-"

"I'm afraid not, because other people want you away from Seto Kaiba."

"Like who?" Serenity asked.

"Like me," a voice said, and Shiori stepped out of the shadows. Serenity thought her heart stopped as she saw her friend, no, some one she _thought_ was her friend stand before her, so much hate in her eyes.

"I despise you Serenity," Shiori stated. "I think you should have figured that out, but a love sick little girl wouldn't know anything would she?" With every word a piece of Serenity's heart ripped and fell in shreds to the floor.

"Oh," Shiori said, smirking evilly. "If you want to know one of my dirty little secrets, I'll tell you one. It was ME who turned your brother and Mai into the spinless creatures they are now." Serenity's heart was finally at it's limit, and then she just seemed to die inside.

"Aw, did I hurt your feelings?" Shiori asked, smirking. Marik however, kept a serious face.

"Just bind yourself to me Serenity," he told her. "I can numb that pain of yours. Then, there will be no more killing."

"That's a lie," Serenity said in a small voice. "You're heartless. You don't care who you kill." He smirked.

"You may be right about that." And suddenly, his hands were clasped around Shiori's throat. The movements happened so fast that no one had time to react. Serenity stared as Shiori's eyes widened in horror, and her mouth tried to find words.

"Stop...Marik" Shiori said through gasps. "What are you doing?"

He smirked, and took a large knife from his pocket. The blade gleamed in the setting sun. "I'm just proving her point." Serenity was so close to them, she could feel the tension in the air. But as the blade lunged for Shiori's heart, Serenity closed her eyes and turned her face away. She heard a scream and a second later she felt warm liquid spatter acreoss her face and the top of her body. She brought her hand to her face, and wiped the liquid. She opened her eyes to stare at a hand covered in blood. Slowly, she inched her head forward. Shiori's eyes were staring back at her, but they were now lifeless, the only thing keeping them open was the silent scream that had been frozen in her throat. Her body was a bloody mess and her heart seemed to have been torn out. Literally. Serenity looked just a bit further and saw Marik standing over her lifeless body, a maniac grin plastered on his face. She tried to back away, but suddenly her whole body froze.

"Forgot that I can control you, didn't you?" he asked her, as memories of the bottled temptation and her rape came to mind.

"Kaiba's not here to save you," he said. "But I wouldn't want to spoil the fun for myself. My offer still stands, break Kaiba's heart and bind yourself to me, or..." he let the question hang in the air as he disappeared. She still sat, frozen not by his will but by everyhting else, on the ground. Shiori's body was still in her line of vision. And before she knew it she was screaming. She tried to shake the girl back to life, but her screaming still rang out. Because she was losing everything. Her friends. Her family. The man she loved...

Perhaps even her sanity.

-

-

-

Ok, thats the end of the chapter. This story will probably be complete in five chapters or less. I say PROBABLY because it couls be more(might happen, you never know) or less(doubtfull but maybe ill just write lengthy chapters) So I'm starting to thin about my new story I will post a preview of my next fic (which is nameless at the moment) In my next chapter. It will be rated M most likely, and, as always will be SerenityXSeto. Okay, hope you enjoyed!

-l0ve-in-the-dark-


	25. One Last Time

"And you're sure no one saw?" Kaiba asked, sitting behind his desk and making his voice as cool as possible. Mokuba, Bakura, and Zakura stood before him, but not as brother and friend. They stood as comrades in arms, fellow vampires. And his advocates, his followers, the ones who had had an order and needed to complete it. Find the master's woman. However, upon finding her, they found so much more instead.

"Yes," Mokuba said, not a trace of his playful nature left in his eyes. "Shiori's body was mangled by the time we got there; there was no chance of saving her."

"Do we know who did it?" Kaiba asked them, his face never changing expression.

"We can't be sure of course," Zakura said, her voice, like Mokuba's eyes, lacking its usual warmth. "I suspect Marik is involved, but as I said, we can't be sure."

"How did Shiori die?" Kaiba asked.

"Her heart was torn out," Zakura said, her voice choking as she shuddered with every word. "Literally."

"Quick, painful, and easy, but she did not deserve it," Kaiba replied.

"But brother," Mokuba said, his voice low. "Zakura and I... we believe that Shiori was a traitor somehow. That explains some unanswered things. Her loyalty may not have been to only you."

"You misunderstand me little brother," Kaiba said, his reputation as cruel and unfeeling coming back to him. "I mastered and taught that technique, and it did not deserve to be **wasted** on someone that **low**,now did it?"

"Doesn't matter now," Bakura said. "She's a cold, dead corpse. Whoever killed her really did a good job. There is no way **she's** ever coming back."

Everyone paused at Bakura's words.

"Serenity?" Kaiba asked after a few moments; the silence seemed to be getting to him more than to anybody else.

"In a state of shock," Zakura answered. She didn't want her feelings of friendship to get in the way of her duty, so she pressed onward with what she knew. "When we found her she was covered in Shiori's blood and screaming at the top of her lungs. We can be one hundred percent assured that she witnessed the death of someone she thought was her friend. Her eyes were also hollow, meaning that some kind of effect had come over her body. I believe she suffered a great sense of fear before we found her. She doesn't respond to any of our voices, but her body seems physically healthy."

Kaiba clenched his fist under his desk, but said nothing else.

"Anything else?" he asked them, the bored but cool tone still not leaving his voice.

"Shiori's body," Bakura said, speaking up to break the tension in the air. "What do we do with it?"

"Do as you want," Kaiba said, starting to turn away from them. "Beautiful or not, she means nothing. Feed on her for all I care; it will give you more power anyway."

Zakura put a hand to her mouth, as though she felt vomit rise in her system. Mokuba patted her on the back, and slowly escorted her out of the office. Bakura quietly followed. But Zakura stopped in the door frame, supporting herself on the beam.

"Master, if you want to see her, give it time."

"You are not above me Zakura," he said in a savage voice, all his frustration coming to the surface. "If I want to see her, I will do it whenever I want!"

Zakura shuddered, and from the look on Mokuba's face, he was pretty sure he had just caused her to cry. His little brother shot him a dirty look as the door closed behind them, leaving Kaiba alone. He punched his desk in frustration, causing its frame to shake but otherwise nothing else. He felt nothing; and he felt that he had become numb to pain. Zakura had filled him in on Serenity's family situation, and he felt as if he were a fool for not seeing her distress over it. But he did intend on seeing her. He pushed the call button in his office, summoning Zakura back to him.

"Where is she?" he asked the shaken girl. "And don't you dare lie to me Zakura. You seem to have forgotten that I have no problem killing anybody, even IF it is someone I consider a friend."

Zakura shuddered; she knew she could not defy her master.

"She is in the isolated room near mine," Zakura whispered. Kaiba got up and strode right past her, not saying anything

-

-

-

Serenity didn't remember how she got to the small room. She vaguely remembered someone's arm picking at hers, causing her to move to where she was now. But the scene she had witnessed played over and over in her mind. She looked down at her clothes, which had not been changed, despite the chaos. Her tank top, which had shown with a bright blue brilliance, was now stained crimson. Her hands were soiled with murdered blood, and her mind filled with cryptic images. Her brother, a living corpse. Shiori...the last thing she ever felt was an intense fear. And she, who had brought it all. If she knew better, none of this would have happened. If she had stayed where she belonged, with Duke and the human world, she would've been left alone. She would have never known the true Seto Kaiba or the hell he could raise within her life. Her brother, and Mai as well, wouldn't be losing the fights they were fighting for their lives. She would be oblivious, and she would've kept her fantasy world restricted to her childhood fantasies. However...

She felt the door open and close behind her, and turned to face ice blue eyes. Kaiba.

"Speak to me Serenity," he told her, and suddenly she found her voice.

"I don't have to do what you tell me," she told him, her need for defiance greater than before. No matter how much she loved him, her pain was overpowering everything at the moment. "It's your fault!"

And suddenly she was in front of him, her weak hands beating feebly at his chest.

"It's your fault, it's your fault! Why couldn't you have just left me alone! Why?"

She didn't realize her tears were coming out, and suddenly his mouth was on hers, kissing her forcefully.

"I didn't do anything," he told her, pulling away after a few moments. "All I did was fall in love with a human. You Serenity. I will not accept it, you blaming me. Because even if I pull you to me now, you cannot resist." She looked up to meet cruelty in his eyes, and was nearly frozen by it. He smirked, and then captured her mouth again. She felt him making her deliberately needy, and her knees went weak.

"Don't," she said, but he ignored her words and brought her down to the floor. He picked up her hand and brought it to his mouth, the taste of blood almost too impossible to resist. And that added to his lust for her. He heard her whimper and heard the protest cries come from her mouth, but somehow he ignored them all. He was getting lost in her, only this time, she wasn't leading the way. He kissed the nape of her neck, and felt the struggling of her arms cease. He smirked, despite himself.

"You're as addicted to me as I am to you," he told her, the arrogance coming to his voice. "You can't resist, can you?"

"You're wrong," she told him, but he smirked as he touched her in the ways that he knew drove her wild. He heard her gasp and moan, even though he knew the situation was totally inappropriate. He kissed the tears that made their way down her face, not caring that he was the one that put them there. He loved her struggle, it reminded him of the power that he took ecstasy in. And suddenly, she ceased. He smirked down upon her.

"Is it pointless to fight a fight you cannot win?" he asked her. "Even if you don't want me right now, I can still overpower you."

"Then rape me," she said, her voice lifeless.

He stayed there, suspended over her, taking in her words.

"What?"

"Rape me," she told him simply. "That will make me no better than Shiori, and you no better than Marik. Is that all I am to you anymore?" She looked up at him with eyes full of hurt. "Am I just a toy?" Suddenly, he felt guilty, and kissed her gently to let her know her was sorry. But she still cried. He was helpless for the first time in a long time, not knowing what to do.

"What do you even want anymore Serenity?"

"I-I...I," Serenity was at a loss for words. "I don't know. I just don't know anymore."

"Are you saying this because you don't know," he said after a few minutes. "Or is it because you don't want me to know something?" She didn't answer, only fueling his suspicions. He took her head and forced her to look into his eyes.

"I want you for myself," he said. He traced his fingers over her lips, slightly parting them. "I'm an obsessive and jealous being Serenity. I'm not even a man. And if I find you were with another man, I'll kill him."

The words were said so simply and quickly that they sent chills down her spine.

"Wait!" she said. "You can't do that, we were only-"

"So you were lying to me," he said, cutting her off. She could've cursed him for his cunning nature. He had led her into and trapped her in her own web of lies. And yet, though she was thrown into chaos, he was still there, smiling his evil grin. Suddenly, she was disgusted.

"So, is this the 'ex' Marik informed me of?"

Her blood ran cold.

"How did you-"

"Business that does not concern you," he answered abruptly. Then, looking into his eyes, she saw a wild look she had never seen before. She doubted it was the usual jealousy, but something much more. Possessiveness?

"So, are you going to tell me what happened?" he asked her.

"N-n-nothing-"

"Don't lie to me!" he yelled at her. "I remember the other night. You were covered in another man's stench. You can't lie to me when I have proof Serenity!"

She started shaking; when had she become so weak? Thinking back, she realized she never had a reason to be strong. Someone had always done that for her, and honestly, this was no exception. The one who held her heart, the one who seemed to fill her to the brim so that she couldn't even speak, was strong. And as he sat in front of her, she felt his strength radiate to her body. It was an unknown feeling to her, a mixture of fear and curiosity; of pain and pleasure; something that reached deep inside of her and held on tight. It was a beautiful but ugly feeling. He was dressed in his traditional clothes, and she looked like a tramp from the streets. And yet he was still there, right beside her. Everything about him seemed, at that moment, to send her into awe. It was almost enough to make her answer to his questions. But that didn't mean she could.

"We…we didn't do anything," she told him finally.

"Can you tell me that honestly?" he asked her, more of mockery than an actual question. She shook her head "yes" vigorously, and then, she found herself observing him. He was beautiful; there was no other way to describe it. He looked as if he were created by an artist; every part of his warm and luscious flesh seemed to be flawless. Forever young and beautiful. And his eyes; cold and calculating but penetrating. His body was firm beneath the clothes that didn't do him justice, and everything together made it almost impossible to look without crying from the beauty of it all. She found herself, unexpectedly, getting hot. She turned her head and lied on the bed, turning her back to him. What was happening? Just by looking, she felt herself want to open for him.

_Why?_

And then, the answer hit her so suddenly she felt that if she was not already lying down, she would've fell. Because, she knew what she had to do. Marik's words were coming back to her more stubbornly than ever before.

_Leave him…crush him…commit to me…_

Every word made her ache more and more, until she was sure that her soul would break from the searing pain. She felt the weight shift as he attempted to lie beside her.

"What's wrong?" he whispered in her ear. His hot breath made her senses go into overdrive, and her lust grow. She could feel her desire more than she ever had, not knowing if she had grown into this on her own or if she was somehow channeling his vampire nature. His body was dangerously close to hers. The heat was intensifying, burning through her back…what was wrong with her? Then, she felt his hand lightly graze the small of her back, and she felt her face glow red. The pain she felt, everything, was overshadowed by lust. She WAS addicted to him, she had to be…

"Serenity?" he said, leaning over. She turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him. It didn't take him too long to respond. She kissed him slow and deep, trying to pour everything she felt into him, and for once, make him as full as he always made her. She held him close and tight, something she had always done. Only this time, she felt she really had him there with her. Not just in body. She had him in spirit, soul, and mind. She pulled him down on top of her, and then her hands felt up his shirt.

"What are you doing?" he asked her quietly, after breaking their kiss. She looked up into him, all the sadness she felt hidden behind her desire that burned with love.

"I want you," she told him honestly. "I want you inside of me. Please, just make everything go away."

She opened her arms and hugged herself to him, hoping he had not seen her pained expression.

"Please," she said, her voice coming out in a pathetic begging tone. And he obliged. He lavished kisses on the nape of her neck, making her feel more than she used to. She gasped as she felt his hands wander. As he lay her gently down, one thought rang throughout her head. It dominated her thoughts, and it made tears spring to her eyes.

_Please…please, just for one last time…please hold me tight._

_-_

_-_

_-_

Ok, ok, yea, I kno it took a while for me to get this chapter out! Hope you liked it! Okay, I'm very happy because MY NEW FIC FINALLY HAS A NAME!

Ok, so I have concept and name and plot down, now all I need are chapters. Ok, just to tell you, it won't start until after this fic is finished, which will probably be soon. Ok, I promised a preview, so here it is. It's discreet, so no spoilers for anyone.

Preview of my next fic: **Interwoven Addiction **(which is SetoXSerenity)

They had been together since childhood. He was stoic,

handsome, calculating. An adult. She was free,

imaginative, beautiful. A child. But what would it

take to show him he was the needy one in their

relationship?

What if a boy had been with you since childhood? What if you two didn't exactly get along, and you were too different to be together so much? What if the circumstances of your meeting weren't exactly "happy"? What if you came to understand him, and he to you in turn? What if despite the crazy circumstances that surrounded the both of you, in the end, you both seemed to be brought to each other? What if you were drawn to his cold demeanor, and he to your warm one? What if you went away for a while, then came back to him? What if you came to see him as the man he had always been on the inside, and he saw you as the beautiful woman you could be? What if you weren't perfect for his lifestyle, and he made you fit anyway? What if your life was amazing and everything was beautiful? What if everything in his life was planned and anything unexpected was unacceptable? What if your body ached for his, and just the sight of you made him lust hungry? What if after some time, unwillingly, you fell to an unknown place, and he was all you could think about? What if you were sure that he was driving you insane because he was in your thoughts to much? What if despite the way he treated you and looked at you, he was still there after everything?

What if he loved you?

Ok, I'm done for today!

Always,

L0ve-in-the-dark


	26. Revelations

Kaiba gently layed Serenity down. He focused on her, only her, and what he knew he would do. He heard nothing as his world became his own, and he acted on his desires. He put his head down upon her chest, only to hear her heart rapidly beating within its chasm.

"You're mine," he said. It was more out of habit; him proving how much he enjoyed being the one in power. She did not complain. He brought his hands to the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over her head.

-

-

-

At first, Serenity held herself as if she were cold. But the warmth of the person above her made her forget everything. He felt his hands graze her arms, and she felt the color of crimson flush her face.

"I…I-ah," she started to say, but her voice fell away as he silenced her mouth with his own. She reached her arms out and pulled him to her, willing him to feel her love through every pore of her body.

_I love you so much._

She wondered if he could feel everything that she was channeling to him at that moment. Her passion. Her love. Her desire. Everything.

She felt him rest his head on her collar bone before continuing down her body. His hot breath made her shiver, and then she felt him trail kisses gently to the naked upper half of her.

"Ah-" she started to say, but bit her lip to stop her gasps of pleasure.

_I have no right. Not if I'm about to betray him…_

She could feel the smirk of his grace his face before it even fell on his lips.

"What's wrong?" he asked, gently trailing kisses down to her breasts. "Am I not giving you enough? Why not let your sound out?"

Serenity blushed at his forward words, but said nothing in return to them. She felt his kisses, burning her skin with each place his lips touched. She felt his tongue run down her skin, and was sure she would scream out in ecstasy. But still, she bit her lip, and felt that they would be a bloody mess when their love making was done.

_He'd probably like that though._

She felt his head fall onto her stomach and then stop, seeming to rest there. The warmth of him made her cool skin burn, and she wrapped her arms around him, tightly, as if willing for him to merge with her own body.

"Nnn…" she said, willing for her sounds not to escape her body. Then she felt his hand reach lower and lower until it reached the button of her jeans. His hands clenched and she felt him roll them down to her ankles, seeming to expose her to the world. But her world was **him**.And that was all that she needed. Soon, she felt his fingers trace the lower half of her stomach.

"Don't hold anything in," he told her. "Just show me what I am to you."

She felt his tongue trailing down lower and lower, and at that moment she knew that she couldn't take it anymore. She moaned and held him again, knowing she liked whatever she was feeling. She reached out and unbuttoned his shirt until he was left exposed above her. Her face, if possible, flushed deeper from the sight of him. She drew her hands to his belt buckle, slowly unfastening the clasp. Her hands were shaking so badly she felt as if they wouldn't get the task they set out to do done. But they did. And soon he joined her.

-

Serenity felt so much as their bodies connected, but above her sexual pleasure, her desire, and even her love, came close to the feeling of hurt.

_This will be…my…last time… being his lover_

Her thoughts barley went straight as she felt him go deeper and deeper inside of her. Then she felt the world fade to black.

-

-

-

The warmth of the sun was not what awoke Serenity hours later, but the intense body heat of another being. When she awoke, she found herself facing the open arms of her lover. He was actually there with her. Was she dreaming? She pressed her hand to the warm flesh, and there it was beneath her finger tips. This wasn't a dream; he was there beside her. The moment was like a holy ceremony, something she wanted to hold in her heart. She pressed herself against the flesh that was so firm, yet so soft and warm. She checked the clock over his shoulder, the numbers seeming to burn into her memory. It was almost midnight. She'd have to leave soon. She knew if she kept Marik waiting too long, the whole deal would be off. She took her eyes away from Kaiba's body to look up upon his face. The peacefulness that she never thought would ever exist within him was shown while he was sleeping. It was a beautiful and hollow feeling that came to her while she gazed upon him. She leaned her head slightly and brought it to the crook of his neck. She rested there, breathing in the musky and mysterious scent of him. She felt that if she possessed his vampiric nature, that she would right then reach out and bite into the flesh of him. She would suck out his sweet nectar; use it to sustain her life. Make him the reason that she existed. But…wasn't he already that? How much could you love a person? Whatever the answer, she felt as if it were to the breaking point. That's how much she loved him. She felt that she had fallen before his hand had ever grazed her skin, ever since that day she had first stared into the eyes of an immortal cold blooded killer. It was something she would never forget, something she DIDN'T want to forget. Because everything about him she wanted to keep with her…forever. She caressed his face, letting his hair intertwine with her fingers gently so as to not wake him up. He did not stir.

-

-

_Time to go,_ she thought, and she got up.

-

-

She dressed carefully and quietly, something she never would've guessed would've meant so much to her. But soon, her life would be over. Nothing was meant to happen right now. She was meant to go, die in her own misery, and that was it. She wasn't meant for love…this impossible love. Not even a doomed love suited her. No love did. And she could take that…because one person who had ALWAYS shown her love was her brother. He deserved to live long enough to love everything around him. And to make sure of that, she'd have to sacrifice. But…the thought didn't scare her as much as it had only hours earlier. Shiori's death…her brother on the verge of dying… All of it just had to stop.

-

-

Serenity walked the cold streets, having changed into a small black slip dress. No one in the Kaiba mansion seemed to have heard of girl's jeans. Marik waited for her on a distant street corner. She could feel him in her mind before she could even see him

_Good girl_.

She twitched as she found herself in his embrace. He held her in a very gentle way, and he led her back to his home. Once behind the door of the small apartment that was the setting for any nightmare Serenity would ever have, Marik turned and faced her.

"I want to show you something," he said to her. Her hands instinctively made an "X" over her chest. He merely chuckled.

"No…not right now. Your body is going to be mine for all eternity… there's really no need to rush it." He walked to her and pulled her body to his, enjoying her trembling.

"Have you ever wondered how your dear Seto Kaiba came to be? Have you ever wondered about his past?" He brought her closer and whispered in her ear.

"It's almost impossible for a vampire to bleed," he whispered. "We have to be very, VERY in touch with our emotions or in an extreme state of weakness. Do you even realize how much immortal blood has been shed because of you? A trickle of blood is too much… and you have made it happen over and over again. You're quite a girl Serenity. And I plan on taking good care of you."

Serenity just wanted to push him away, but what he was saying intrigued her too much.

"I want you to know something," he pushed her away and held her by the hair. She flinched but didn't show any emotion other wise. "If it wasn't for me…your dear Kaiba would have never come into existence. You would have never even MET him." Serenity's eyes widened.

"What?" she asked softly. Suddenly, Marik put his hand to her forehead, and memories began to flash before her eyes. A woman, probably the most beautiful she had ever seen, walking through the forests. She had flowing silver hair and piercing silver eyes. Serenity was sure she'd never seen her before. And then she saw the surroundings, and new that this wasn't the modern day. Suddenly, the woman stopped. She raised her hands in a fighting position and seemed to grow alert. Her eyes glowed luminescent and her fangs bore and she hissed at the midnight air.

"Come out," the woman said. "I'm not scared of you, whoever you are." A chuckle came from the trees, causing the woman to shudder just bit. Serenity saw a movement out of the corner of her eye, and in one swift movement, the woman's back made contact with a gleaming dagger. She didn't have time to cry out, as the figure then extracted the knife and turned her, stabbed her in the torso. Serenity felt chills go up her spine and horror grace her face as the dark figure continued to massacre the woman. He then bit her, making her scream pierce the night. And then the figure's voice made her stop.

"Really…the queen of vampires… you're so weak." Serenity's eyes widened as she saw Marik's figure emerge form the dark cloak he was wearing.

"Why…wh-why?" she asked him, gasping for air. Her body was mangled, a bloody mess. "Why Marik? What did I….did I do to you?" The woman coughed up blood and began to shiver. She was going to die soon; there was no doubt about it. No one could have survived an attack like that, not even a supernatural being.

"Really woman," Marik said, a cruel smile gracing his lips. "I can't believe you. So much power and you leave it contained within that body of yours. You can wreak so much havoc… chaos…destruction. Take murderous revenge on the damned species that shuns us. But, no. You keep it contained. But you had your guard down this time."

Marik walked over to the woman and took her by the hair, forcing her to face him.

"I killed the queen of vampires. Now all that's left," he continued, bringing his lips close to hers, "Is for you to give me that power."

"I'd rather die," the woman coughed. Marik laughed a cruel laugh into the air.

"You'll be getting your wish soon enough." Then his eyes hardened. "I want that power woman. Think of it. I'll lead the clan wonderfully. I'm a born leader. And…you can't just let that power go to waste." The woman's eyes widened and Serenity knew that Marik spoke the truth.

Suddenly, a branch broke in the distance. Marik scowled but ran back into the woods. But not before he whispered in her ear.

"If you don't give me that power I will rip it from your body. I couldn't do it before, but now…look at you now. You should've kept your guard up…this wouldn't have happened if you had." He disappeared into the trees, leaving the woman alone. She gasped in pain, and Serenity's heart ached for the woman.

"I will never… ever… let that happen," the woman whispered. She wrapped her cloak around herself, making it seem like she was a frail beggar. And suddenly a voice called out.

"Are you alright?"

Serenity froze in shock…she knew that voice. And Kaiba's human self emerged from the moonlit shadows. Serenity tried to gasp, but it seemed to catch in her throat. Even as a human, he was amazing. The same blue eyes, but no suffering. The figure on the ground didn't answer. He approached, slow; and he crouched down beside her. And Serenity heard a rustle in the trees, and saw Marik's menacing glare. Serenity wanted to scream watch out, but in the next moment all was silent. Serenity's eyes widened in horror as she saw Kaiba frozen, his eyes wide in shock. The woman had her lips to his neck in a menacing bite of desperation. It was her last resort. She pulled away and Serenity watched as he grasped the wound on his neck. She had witnessed his turning, his humanity leaving him. And Marik's scream of rage pierced her ears as she felt herself being violently shoved down, forced back into reality. She was back in the apartment, facing an angry Marik.

"He took my glory from me without even trying," Marik whispered with a menacing stare. "And our dear clan embraced him immediately. I became his closest…but he knew to be wary of me. And I've wanted to kill him...for so long."

Serenity wasn't sure if Marik was speaking to her, or lost within his own world. She sat there and listened to his raving, not wanting to stop him. Suddenly he turned and looked at her, his emotions unreadable.

"He took everything from me, and now… now I want to take everything from him." He pulled her up by her shoulders and pressed his lips to her collar bone. She shivered but cursed her body, because it felt so good.

"You're covered in his stench," Marik remarked. He looked up and into her eyes. They were soulless.

"I want to make you mine right now Serenity. I want to bite you and steal your purity away." Serenity shivered at his words.

"I…I…" he cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"No need to answer."

He looked up at her and smirked. She took in a breath.

"Where's…where's my brother? Where's Mai?" Marik rolled his eyes.

"You have to take my fun away already?" he whined. He snapped his fingers and two of his clan came through the door.

"Bring the puppets," he barked. Neither moved. Marik turned, a crazy anger in his eye.

"Did I STUTTER?" he asked them. They both seemed to tremble under his rage.

"Sir," one of them said. "They're too weak to move anymore. They're…they're dying sir."

-

-

-

**Whoa! It has been FOREVER since I last updated. A lot of things have been going on ya know? But I plan on finishing this story, since so many people seem to like it -. Thanks so much for the reviews, I mean, I still even got some months later. It really makes me happy, you have no idea. I know this chapter isn't up to par, but I guess I just have to get back into my writing skin. I hope you find this to your liking.**

**Always,**

**L0ve-in-the-dark**


	27. Necessities

_Dying?_

Serenity's mind echoed with the words. And suddenly she grabbed Marik's shoulders.

"Save him! Please…please," she said, going weak and falling to her knees. She started to cry. Joe couldn't die; Marik just had to release him. That's all he had to do.

Marik's eyes widened at the girl's desperation, but then a smirk came to his face.

_This is going to have to be fast, but I can have my fun later. Now, I just have to do my duties._

"Do you want to see them one last time…while you're still human?"

Serenity stiffned. Marik chuckled under his breath.

"…Still human?" She asked him.

"Well if you're committing to me then I certainly hope you weren't stupid enough to think you were going to stay human."

Of course she knew that she wouldn't stay human…but the shock still seemed to shake her. She was already tied to someone who didn't even love her. Becoming tied to immortality didn't seem like such a horrible prospect when she realized what she could save. Serenity hugged herself. The room was so warm, making her body sweat. But she herself was shivering. The icy grip of fear that was lacing through her body was enough to make her want to scream. She was so scared, she was so tired, but nothing seemed to stand out more in her mind then one single person.

Serenity pictured herself only hours earlier, in the warmth or Kaiba's embrace. Him telling her he loved her, him telling her that he wanted to be with her forever. His hair that fell lazily into his eyes when he slept, and his cold blue eyes that held a unique kindness only she could see. How much she felt with a single kiss, and how his eyes softened when he would talk to her. How when he smiled, not smirked but a genuine smile, her world seemed to glow. He knew every inch of her body so well, caressing her inner thigh so gently before forcefully making love to her. How he'd forcefully kiss her, pinning her down until she would look him in the eyes. It was enough to make her crazy, but she endured it. When he was kind to her…the fights they had shared. Everything swirled inside her head, a fond if not slightly scarred memory. And she started to cry. Marik's face showed he was slightly miffed.

"Foolish girl," he said to her. But he had to admit, her tears in the moonlight coming from the window were indeed intoxicating. He knelt beside her, putting his finger underneath her chin. She refused to meet his eyes. He grew irritated; tonight had been quite bothersome indeed. He changed to his true form in an instant. His eyes glowed with the vampire luminescent quality, his fangs bore, and his whole body seemed to glow with an even more menacing strength.

"Look at me," he said, his voice deep and angry. Serenity couldn't raise her head, whether it be from shame, fear, or both. Suddenly, her head jerked forward. He smirked.

"Girl would you keep it in your head that I'll ask nicely first…but I can make you do ANYTHING I desire." He looked her straight in the eyes and laughed maniacally. She flinched; it was just too much to take anymore.

-

-

-

Kaiba slammed his fist into the wall, causing another indent in the once flawless white paint. His knuckles were bleeding and he was bruised, but once again he grit his teeth and punched.

"LET ME OUT OF HERE MOKUBA!" he cried out. His brother, on guard on the other side of the wall, refused.

Hours earlier, Kaiba had awoken to find the spot next to him on the bed empty and cold. He had thrown a fit, turning rooms upside down and throwing people down the staircases. His clan cowered in fear of him, no one daring to step up. Bakura, Zakura, and Mokuba all banded to pin him to a doorway and managed to lock him into a room with no windows. Bakura guarded one door way while Zakura and Mokuba guarded the other. Kaiba had been beating the shit out of the walls, and there was no doubt in Mokuba's mind that his brother was very angry.

"GOD DAMMIT MOKUBA I SAID LET ME OUT OF HERE!"

"Seto," Mokuba calmly spoke to his brother through the doorframe. "I am not going to let you out of there. God knows what you are capable of."

"I'm going to kill one of you," Kaiba snarled threats through the doorframe, beating it with his fists. Mokuba didn't answer his brother's threat; he simply sank down to the ground, head on his knees.

"Where could she be?" Mokuba whispered. "We have everyone searching and no one's found her. She couldn't have left the city in the past few hours, it would have been impossible. She better not have pulled a disappearing act again." Zakura sat down next to him, her face grave.

"Marik's got her, hasn't he?"

Mokuba didn't say a word, just turned his head and gave Zakura a grave look. Her eyes shone with worry.

"Marik's a monster. He's already raped her. What can he do next… kill her?"

"No," Mokuba said, his eyes showing with a seriousness beyond his years. "Marik wouldn't kill Serenity. It would strengthen Seto way too much."

Zakura raised a questioning eyebrow. Mokuba sighed.

"If he killed Serenity, then there goes everything my brother treasures the most. That's his reason for not letting his true self free. No killing and being contained to be a gentler person… if Marik got rid of the reason my brother refuses to be a true monster, then he's as good as dead. My brother would destroy everything in his path… maybe even himself."

Zakura shuddered. Mokuba stood.

"I think I should go and talk to him," he said. Zakura's eyes widened.

"Mokuba… are you insane?"

"**Someone** needs to attempt to calm him down."

"Yes, but that someone doesn't have to be you."

"Who else will do it?" Mokuba asked, the look in his face a determined one. Zakura slammed her fist into the wall; but after the hours of Kaiba's fists seeming to shake the house, it did nothing to be effective.

"Mokuba, your brother didn't seem to have any problem turning you into a vampire, what makes you think he'll give a damn about KILLING YOU?"

Mokuba stopped, and it seemed that the flow of time seemed to along with him. He turned and gave Zakura a look of utter disgust, something he had never done before. No, it wasn't disgust. It was anger, a deep anger.

"Don't. You. Ever. Talk. About. My. Brother. In. THAT. Way." And Mokuba entered the room and slammed the door behind him.

-

-

-

Kaiba looked over as the door opened and closed suddenly. Mokuba stood in front of him, worn and tired but ready for a fight if Kaiba decided to give him one. Kaiba smirked, a crazy smirk, and slowly rose. Mokuba got into a guarded position; he knew his brother too well to underestimate him.

"What's wrong little brother?" Kaiba asked, slowly approaching his brother half way. "Are you scared? Do you want me to check under the bed for monsters?"

Mokuba smirked in return.

"You're centuries late brother dear. I see a monster every day when I look in the mirror. No use chasing them away now." Kaiba smirked, but then his face took on a sudden seriousness.

"I'll say it nicely Mokuba. Let me out of here."

"I can't let you out of here Seto," Mokuba replied calmly. Kaiba's look hardened.

"I've got scouts looking for her Seto. Just sit tight."

"Sit tight?" Kaiba asked, and he threw his head back and chuckled slightly. Mokuba felt a chill go down his spine. "Mokuba, I cannot sit tight here while my woman is not by my side."

"You talk about her as if she's an object," Mokuba snidely said. His brother said nothing, just stood there.

"I want my woman, Mokuba," Kaiba said, his voice eerily calm. Mokuba swallowed.

"…well I can't give her to you right now dear brother." Kaiba slammed his fist against the wall, causing yet another indent.

"Let me out of here so I can find her myself."

"I can't do that Seto," Mokuba said, shaking his head. "I have other lives to think about. I can't let you out of here… not while you're like this."

Kaiba came up to his brother, standing face to face with him. He stood as tall as he did; and now it was obvious it was two men looking eye to eye, not an older brother looking down at the younger one.

"If Marik does ANYTHING to her-"

"That's not my fault that you're woman doesn't know how to stay on her leash," Mokuba cut him off and answered coolly. Kaiba slammed his brother up against the wall, fingers gripping his neck tightly. Mokuba was scared, but he didn't let the fear he felt stop him from talking to the only family he had ever truly known.

"Let me go," Mokuba said calmly. Kaiba was breathing heavy, adrenaline pumping his veins. He wanted desperately to slam his brother through a window, make him scared and bleed his soul out. He wanted to show him so badly why he was the clan leader, why he was indeed the vampire king. But something came back through his system, causing his fingers to loosen slightly. Love. Kaiba dropped his brother, causing him to fall to the ground and gasp for air. He immediately dropped to his knees, bringing both of them to the same eye level.

"Mokuba," he said, his voice taking on a sincere tone. "Please…let me out of here." Suddenly Mokuba reached forward and punched his brother across the face, causing him to fall backward onto the floor. He quickly rose and ran for the door.

"Not now Seto…forgive me."

And Mokuba left his brother with his own sanity, which seemed to shift to insanity… and that was just a bit too close for comfort.

-

-

-

Marik led Serenity down a long corridor. He took her by the hand, and Serenity held on tightly. She was afraid that if she let go she might lose her nerve and run away. Her fear was pulsing through her veins, but she ignored it. Her shaking knees made it hard to keep up with Marik's long strides. She closed her eyes, trying to keep her tears away. He pulled her beside him, and then he stopped suddenly. Serenity opened her eyes and found herself before a door way.

"What is this?" she asked, her voice small. Marik didn't answer; he just opened the door and shoved her inside.

"You have an hour," he said to her, and she could hear his footsteps walk away from the spot where she had landed on the floor.

"Ouch," Serenity whispered to herself as she eased herself up from the dusty floor.

"…Ren?" a weak voice called out of the darkness. Serenity turned around and stared. Mai and Joe were shackled to the walls. Joe was wearing the same T shirt and jeans he was wearing when she'd last seen him, and he was thinner then ever. The circles underneath his eyes were so dark she could have sworn someone had painted them there. Mai looked no better, the dress she was wearing was tattered and she could see her ribs sticking through her skin. They looked terrible, barely alive. She cried as she slowly crawled toward them, her sobs seeming to choke her.

-

-

-

Kaiba sat in the small room, his head on his knuckles. It was his usual thinking position; he was incredibly still and silent, but ready to kill.

"How can I get out of here?" he whispered to himself. The moon was setting, and he felt the heat of a new day stirring within his system. He turned his back to the rising sun, angry that he wasn't sleeping peacefully at the moment. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were over come with the urge to close. But to sleep would waste time, and he was slightly worried that he might have a nightmare and not be able to wake from it. He shuddered at the thought. He lay back on the bed, staring at the slightly darkened ceiling. There was no way out of his prison…to get out he'd have to go through his most trusted. It wasn't that he couldn't take them; it was just that he was scared of doing too much damage. He knew they could probably take him on a good day, and he knew that they would put up an amazing fight and probably do him some damage. Mokuba certainly would. But despite them all being amazing warriors in their own right, he knew none of them would survive if he decided to get serious. He needed to lose his self… his soul, if he truly wanted to get out and find what eh wanted. Serenity. Just the thought of her in Marik's clutches… he didn't allow his thought process to go there. There had to be a way out… there had to. Suddenly, a thought struck him. It was one he never expected to think of… but looking around, he thought of no other option. He grabbed a glass book end off the shelf nearby and broke it. Then he grabbed the bottle that had contained a blood and wine mixture hours earlier when Zakura had quickly opened the door to throw him nourishment. He held the bottle up to the little light the room had, and watched the bit of liquid he left in there shine. He closed his eyes and let his memories flood into his thoughts. Every kill, every cry, every plea of mercy… everything. And he stabbed himself in the stomach, and watched as his wound slowly started to bleed. He winced in the slight pain, but smiled as he watched the blood run down his jagged glass dagger. He tore the dagger out of his stomach, and watched as blood started to flow. He cupped his hands together, and poured the blood into the bottle. He smirked.

"…I haven't made bottled temptation in a while."


	28. To Die For

Kaiba clutched at his stomach, wanting to tear out the contents. He knew better. What he had done was going to cost him some serious consequences. But, he found he was caring less and less by the minute, as the temptation took him over. Less human, more monster. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins. It was such a forbidden rush; he hadn't felt this way in a long time. He looked into the nearby mirror, and he saw his eyes were glowing brighter then they ever had. His hair seemed to spark with a static electricity. It was matted slightly, making him look like he had just woken from a night of insatiable lust. His strength was tangible to the air… it was amazing. He was amazing. He grinned wickedly at his reflection, and a second later his fist came barreling toward it. The mirror shattered, pieces flying everywhere. Kaiba glanced at his shattered reflection. The pieces left in the mirror frame seemed to distort his image, making him even more frightening. He smirked. And suddenly the door opened.

"SETO WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Kaiba turned quickly, watching as Mokuba flung the door open, Zakura and Bakura behind him.

"Let me out and I won't hurt you," he told them calmly. Mokuba's eyes were guarded with caution, while Zakura's were just brimming with fear. Mokuba raised his fists.

"No, I won't let you out of here. You made bottled temptation didn't you?"

Bakura's eyes widened as tears started to spill from Zakura's. Mokuba remained emotionless. Kaiba just smirked. Mokuba soon followed suit.

"I truly underestimated you dear brother."

"I thought I taught you better then that little brother," Kaiba said coolly. "Never underestimate your opponent."

"Well you got me there," Mokuba replied. "But you also taught me to fight to the death."

Mokuba shifted into fighting stance, while Kaiba raised his eyebrow.

"You? Want to fight me?"

Mokuba let fear show in his eyes for a split second, and then slowly nodded his head.

"I can't let you leave this house. You might end up killing someone innocent. You might even end up killing Serenity." Instead of thinking on this, Kaiba simply laughed.

"Mokuba, you've always been too soft. Death comes with the price of living. Hasn't centuries worth of existence taught you anything?"

"It's taught me that I don't want to become the monster we're made out to be in stories and that some things are worth dying over."

"You really think you're ready to take me on brother?" Kaiba asked, advancing slowly on his brother. "You think that you can seriously tell me that you're ready for this? I've taught you everything you know. Everything I've ever taught you, I can do better."

Mokuba shifted his stance.

"…I think I can handle it."

"You're making a big mistake brother," Kaiba said, smirking slightly. "But you learn form your mistakes. Too bad this one might be one you'll never be able to come back from." And at once, Kaiba struck.

-

-

-

"Time's up."

The words rang throughout Serenity's head. The light suddenly flooded the dark room, and Marik stood in the doorway. He wore black pants and a black dress shirt. He looked like the angel of death, taking her from her final goodbyes. Serenity didn't fight fate as she stood up, she just silently cried. And as she got up, a weak voice broke the heart crushing scene, bringing life back to the robotic movements of everybody.

"Wait just one minute you asshole."

Serenity turned, staring through her tears, to look at her brother. He was so weak…so thin…so fragile, it was enough to break her down. But he staggered upward, and slowly inched towards them. Marik smirked.

"And what do you think you're doing little boy?"

Joey was panting now, and Serenity could tell it was taking all of his effort to stand up.

"Let….let my… let my sister go."

The silence rung through the air, one of the most deafening sounds one could possibly be hearing.

"Please repeat that question," Marik told him. "I like when humans tend to joke around."

"I'm…not… joking," Joe panted. "Please, let my sister go. I'll do anything you want. But I spent my whole life making sure she was okay... she's everything to me…her and Mai. I know it might be… too late for us. But please…please…let her go. I want her to live a full and happy life, the one me and our family couldn't have. Please…"

"Please listen to him," Mai begged as Joe's strength wore thin and he fell to his knees. "Please, she's like the sister I never had."

"Fools," Marik said, grabbing Serenity by her wrists and holding her still by locking them together. "This woman is mine."

"No I'm not," Serenity spat, a sudden urge of defiance coming out of nowhere. She knew it would cost her, and she was proved right when Marik slapped her across the face a second later. She was surprised however, when Joe reached out and slapped his hand away. It was a feeble smack, a weak one. But the effort was brave. Marik's eyes narrowed, but Joe just gritted his teeth.

"Get off my sister," he said. His voice sounded so strained…Serenity's heart was more crushed with every word spoken. Marik reached his hand back and rammed his fist into Joe's stomach, hard. Joe hit the floor with a painful thud. Serenity screamed, while Mai moaned in pain. Marik threw Serenity to the side.

"You've been a pain too long," Marik said to the pathetic figure that was Joe. "I want to see you beg for your life, because I'm about to take it."

Joe spat the blood that was coming from his mouth; Serenity hadn't even realized how hard Marik had hit him. No, it wasn't hard at all; Joe was just that weak.

"Ask all you want, I ain't begging." Serenity tried to smile at Joe's bravery, but she was too frozen with fear at what she thought...no, what she KNEW was about to happen. Marik smirked.

"Have it your way then." He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out a dagger. He shifted slightly, and all at once the changes happened. He was a vampire, a beautiful killer.

"I hope you enjoy dying in front of your loved ones. You should be thanking me. Your death will be quick, I am being merciful."

All at once Serenity found her voice.

"YOU SAID YOU'D LET THEM GO!"

"I lied," Marik said simply.

"PLEASE," Serenity screamed, her words choked by tears. "Please don't kill him!"

Marik smirked.

"Too late." And he brought the dagger down, striking flesh on impact.

-

-

-

Kaiba stood, soaked in blood. The battle was done. It had taken longer then he had expected. But the bottled temptation, combined with his own strength, was enough. Bakura lay down the stairwell, knocked out after the first hit. He was still alive though. He had been smart not to get back up again. Zakura lay beneath a broken mirror, which he had thrown her into. Her skin was all cut up, her forehead bleeding severely. Her breathing was shallow, but he was sure she'd be fine if she didn't over exert herself. He simply smirked; he HAD warned them after all. And there beneath his feet, was Mokuba. There was no mistaking it. He was dead. His brother had fought most valiantly, his intentions honorable. He had wanted to keep a revenge hungry monster off the streets; he had wanted to save people. The attempt had cost him his life. Kaiba had been genuinely surprised at how well his brother could fight. He had underestimated his opponent, something he knew better then to do. When Mokuba had lunged at him, the first blow was indeed impressive. There was a heavily bleeding wound on his arm because of it. But as the battle wore on, it was plain to see which brother was better at the art of fighting. Mokuba had not given up though; even bruised, bloody and battered, he still stood tall. He was ready for everything. The memory played itself over in Kaiba's head.

_Kaiba smirked._

"_Dear brother, why don't we end this? You're at your limit, you can barely stand."_

"_No," Mokuba spat. "This isn't over."_

"_The next blow may cost you your life Mokuba. Do you understand that? I may kill you." Kaiba smirked in spite of himself. "I'm such a terrible big brother. I wonder how you could ever love me."_

"_You're wrong!" Mokuba shouted. "That isn't my brother talking. It's a monster. A blood hungry monster! This isn't you Seto. Snap out of it! Get that out shit out of your system!"_

"_Too late Mokuba," Kaiba said. The glossy look in his eyes was reflected back to him in his brother's widening eyes. "Now move, or I'll kill you. The choice is that simple. Don't you want to live? You have a woman you love, don't you? I mean, if I haven't killed her, you may very well live happily with her."_

_Mokuba spat._

"_I can fall in love again. But if she's dead," Mokuba started, shifting his stance. "I'll never forgive you."_

_Kaiba chuckled, and the sound rang deep into the empty air. _

"_So noble dear brother, but yet so very stupid. Your life is hanging in the balance, and you stand up like an idiot."_

"…_You were the one who taught me to never back down brother. Do you remember? It's your fault I'm even living this lifestyle." Kaiba's look hardened._

"_I gave you life once. I can take it away. Your choice." Mokuba smirked._

"_Haven't I already chosen?"_

_Silence rang between them, and Kaiba shifted. His anger was boiling, and he was ready for the kill. His own brother was the target. _

"_Have it your way." And he struck. _

Kaiba now looked down upon his brother, a bloody mess on the floor. Kaiba looked down at his bloody fist, which had torn out his own brother's heart. He didn't even flinch as he stepped over his brother's body and walked out the door. As the cool night air hit his face, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small vial of Bottled Temptation. He had to take more; if he didn't, he knew that his morals and his sense would come back all too quick. And he'd break down. He had killed his only family, the only person who he had loved throughout the centuries. And he went to find the one thing he felt so possessive over, the one thing he was determined not to let go.

-

-

-

Zakura slowly stirred, the pain in her body enormous. She could barely see through the web of blood that was sprawled across her face. She turned over, her legs too hurt to walk. She fell into a pile of broken glass, causing her to cry out in pain. She was so injured, but nothing could compare to the pain she felt when she looked ahead of her and saw Mokuba. She didn't know how to find the strength to crawl toward him, but she did.

"Mokuba?" she whispered meekly. His face was turned away from her, but when she turned it, she let out a scream of pure horror. Mokuba's beautiful face was blood stained, his eyes opened wide in pure terror.

"MOKUBA!" she screamed, hugging his dead body. "No no NO!"

His body was mangled, blood everywhere. The smell was so overwhelming, she almost passed out. She saw the hole in his chest that once held a heart, and she started to cry.

"No I won't let you leave! This world needs someone like you! NO!" Zakura sat for what seemed like hours as she cried, thinking of a solution. Then all at once, it hit her. One person could save Mokuba. A person her clan hated more then Marik's clan. She didn't care how high the price was going to be. She was going to save a pure soul from eternal damnation. She forced herself to stand, each movement hurting her worse then the last. She picked up Mokuba's body, staggering under the weight. And she slowly walked out the door.

-

-

-

Zakura slowly walked to a dark door and knocked five times. The streets were quiet, and the night air cool. A figure came to the door, opening it slowly.

"You know what I am," she said to the figure as soon as he came into vision. "Please don't pretend you don't."

"What do you want blood sucker?" the figure spat back at her.

"I want you to save Mokuba. And don't play dumb, I know you know how to."

The figure laughed.

"Why would I help you? One less vampire on the earth. Not my problem."

"Please," Zakura begged, falling to her knees. "He's a good person. He didn't choose this life willingly. Please…I'll do anything."

"…You know I might ask your life in return? This process is draining, you know that. And I'm not about to trade my life for his. I'd need yours in return." Zakura was silent for a moment.

"…I understand."

"It may take away his memories for 20 even 50 years, maybe even forever…you do know that right?"

"Yes."

"He may need to learn how to live as a human again, you do know that right?"

"Yes."

"You do know he will never be FULLY human right? Maybe not a vampire…but he would be something else."

"Yes."

"And you're willing to die for him, with no guarantees?"

"I have faith in you." The figure stood silently.

"Better a werewolf then a vampire, right?"

"Better living then dead," Zakura spat. The figure smirked and stepped aside.

"Okay. Come in."

Duke let Zakura into his home, and shut the door behind him.


	29. Loss of Life

Serenity's eyes widened. Marik's eyes widened.

Right before Marik had struck Joe's body, Mai had suddenly jumped in front of him. Where she had gotten the strength to do so was a mystery. She could barely lift her eyes to look at everyone just a minute prior. There was no explanation for why she should now have a dagger's handle jutting out of her back, but she did. Her mouth was open, a silent scream caught in her throat. Joe was struck speechless.

"M…ai?"

"Joey," she said, smiling. She coughed, and blood spattered out of her mouth, hitting him in the face. "You're so stupid….if you think I'd let him hurt you."

She fell to the ground. She didn't get up. She was dead.

-

-

-

Kaiba walked the dark streets, not even feeling as the wind picked up. He caught Serenity's scent on the wind, and his head snapped to the side abruptly. He knew he was getting closer. He had never been to Marik's side of the city with so many circumstances affecting him, but he didn't care. He never did. He was a hunter, hunting his runaway pet.

"That's the last time you will ever run from me."

He spat the words into the wind, willing them to carry to the person he wanted to say them to.

-

-

-

Joe's eyes widened. Mai, the girl he loved, was dead. She had been living…breathing… not so long ago. Not even a few minutes ago. And all of a sudden, she was gone. He was frozen, everything in him not working. He was sure that he forgot to breathe for minutes at a time. He prayed to what ever God existed that this was just a bad dream, just another nightmare in the endless chains of horror that he had been living through. That he would wake up in the dark room, next to the love of his life. They'd be dying, they'd be beaten, they'd be tattered; but they would also be alive. SHE'D be alive. He shut his eyes for a few brief moments. He opened them, expecting to find a light in this brief nightmare…

But all he saw was his girlfriend cold in front of him, her back not even moving from breathing. He felt the tears start to pour, coming in faster and faster torrents by the passing second. She was dead. It wasn't a dream. It was real…everything. This twisted fantasy... the nightmare figures. Everything… everything was real. Marik smirked.

"Useless bitch," he said, spitting on her. "You just wasted what little time you had left. If you were extra nice, I would have spared you. Stupid girl."

"SHUT UP!" Joe yelled, slamming his fist into the floor. "You…you… YOU FUCKING MONSTER." Joe reached out to punch Marik, but it was like slamming your fist into dead set iron. Joe screamed, and Marik smirked.

"Have you ever wanted to die?" Marik asked him. Joe stared for a minute, then he gritted his teeth.

"I want YOU to die." Marik threw his head back and let out a blood curdling laugh.

"Our wants always get the better of us in the end, don't they human?" Marik reached down and slowly picked Joe up by his hair, Joe groaning as he was slowly lifted upward. Marik punched him in the face, blood spattering to the floor.

"How do you want to die human?" he asked slowly. "Maybe I should peel the flesh from your bones until you die begging for mercy, blood dripping everywhere? I could lick up what's left…" Marik smirked. "Or maybe I shouldn't kill you at all… maybe I should make you one of us." Joe snarled.

"Make me immortal and I swear I'll spend the rest of my God forsaken existence trying to destroy you."

Marik's look hardened.

"I see… Well such a gift shouldn't be wasted on something so low anyway."

"Gift my ass," Joe muttered. "If you're gonna kill me, do it however way you want. I swear I won't scream; I don't care WHAT you do to me. I'm not giving you that satisfaction."

"You wouldn't be the one doing the screaming." Marik stood still for a moment, and then slowly a smile crept over his face. "Or perhaps I kill you quickly, cutting your throat in front of your sister?"

Marik nodded to Serenity, frozen with fear in the corner. Joe's eyes widened. In the midst of all the hurt, the agony, and the rage, he had forgotten she was there.

"Silence yourself all you want human. I'll make sure she's the one screaming."

Joe didn't say anything, which made Marik a bit miffed.

_Better to push him to the edge a bit._

Marik put his head close to Joe's.

"Did you know how good your sister is in bed?" he asked slowly, feeling Joe stiffen next to him as the words were spoken. "I've taken her once before…she fucks like a whore. I guess you could say that's why I want to convert her to my side. Kaiba's had enough fun for the century's worth, don't you think?"

"You… you…" Joe started. Marik smirked; he knew it was working.

"She has the softest skin… like a child. But her body… her body is very much a woman's. She's a bit too easy to arouse sometimes… but I can work with that."

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Joe reached out and punched Marik in the face. Marik was silent for a moment, and when he threw his head back, a look of pure anger graced his face.

"You're a nuisance human. Goodbye." And he stabbed Joe in the heart.

-

-

-

Kaiba stood in the midst of four fallen bodies. Guards to a building. A building where he knew Marik had set up camp, and a building he knew Serenity was hidden. He pulled the vial out of his pocket and held it up to the moonlight. It gleamed; a forbidden jewel in the moonlight. He opened it and downed the last of its contents. He knew he was going to need it. He felt his system shifting, becoming stronger. He wouldn't get addicted… he wouldn't let himself. He crushed the glass vial in his hand, watching as the last droplets of the liquid ran down his hand. He felt ashamed at himself for letting what had happened to him happen. He was losing it. He had killed his brother. When the effects of the bottled temptation wore off, he knew he was bound to suffer. There was no escaping how many deaths and injuries he had caused in the past few hours. There was nothing for him anymore. He had lost his only family; he had driven the few that he could call his friends away. And if he didn't get Serenity back now…

He shook the thought out of his head, and grinned wickedly as the effects of the bottled temptation took him over. He opened the door, and slammed it solemnly behind him.

-

-

-

Serenity was struck cold, her heart dying by the minute. Joe was gasping, blood pouring from his chest. Marik pulled the knife back, a bloody spatter falling to the floor. Joe fell backward, gently landing atop Mai with a small thud. Serenity slowly found her strength, and crawled over to her brother.

"Foolish human," Marik muttered, the knife falling from his hand and clattering to the floor. He turned away. "I'll give you five minutes woman. Say your goodbyes. I'll be back." With those words, he slammed the door behind him. Serenity's eyes were void of emotion as she kneeled over her brother, watching as he was taking his final breaths. The tears came down her face, but she didn't even realize it.

"Joey… Joey answer me, please?" she asked him in a small voice. Her brother's eyes were glazed over; there was no saving him.

"Joey… Joey, please don't die. Please. I promise I'll leave all of this behind. I promise I'll go back to school, I'll stay away from all of this. Please…Please." Joey didn't move. Serenity felt her crying speed up. She clutched the shirt of his dead body. And she cried.

-

-

-

Duke laid the dead Kaiba brother down on his floor. The smell of blood was incredibly sickening, and the younger Kaiba's body was drenched in it. He literally had to hold his nose. He beckoned Zakura to come forth and sit beside him, and she willingly obeyed.

"Listen to me. I want you to now picture yourself letting go of your life. You should have no attachments whatsoever. That will make the process all the more easier." He sighed. "I don't really feel like pulling your life from you, but if you insist, I'll abide. It's kind of nice to see blood suckers with a soul." Zakura clenched her fist.

"I have a name. It's Zakura. Not blood sucker. Not beast. Not killer-"

"But not exactly 'human' or 'savior' either, is it?"

Zakura put her head down and didn't say another word.

"Give me your hand," Duke ordered. Zakura didn't move. He turned to look at her.

"Did you hear me, or are you scared now?" Zakura grit her teeth and thrust her hand outward.

"Scared isn't the word for what I'm feeling. What I'm feeling is annoyance, you fucking prick." Duke frowned.

"Such language from a lady, tsk tsk."

"Shut up," Zakura said.

"Is that what you want your final words to be?" Duke asked, not exactly yelling, but in a firm voice. Zakura glared at him, then cast her gaze downward. Mokuba lay on the floor before her, dead. For now anyway. Soon he would be revived. Alive. Werewolf… but no longer vampires. He would be rid of the curse… rid of everything. And she forced a smile as she thought the words _Even me._

She reached her head down and delicately kissed his forehead. Even covered in blood, his face was still beautiful. She was truly smiling this time, knowing that he would finally be free. And she didn't mind dying at someone's hands. Not if it meant freedom, for someone she truly did love. Because she knew that that was something she'd die fighting for, something she would die to see exist in the world. Duke extended his arm and placed it on Mokuba's chest; right over where his heart used to be. Suddenly he grew still, and without warning, a terrible pain shot through Zakura's body. She would have screamed out, if not for the fact that her voice seemed to have been lost within the pain. She felt she was growing thinner; was that possible?

"I know it hurts," Duke said to her, somehow managing to get to her through the pain. "Just bare it. You're a strong person; I know you can do it." The words provided little comfort physically, but emotionally they were a Godsend. Someone good was always with her; even until the very end. Zakura took comfort in that fact as she took her final breath and fell backwards; closing her eyes to the nightmare she had been living for centuries. She opened her eyes to the harsh reality of death and she had to admit, it wasn't as bad as many people made it out to be.

-

-

-

Serenity was frozen. How much time had passed since she had laid atop her brother's cold body, waiting patiently for him to stir. It hadn't happened yet. But yet, she was still waiting. But what WAS she waiting for? She realized a moment later that she wasn't waiting for anything. She was just avoiding fate, and her avoidance came to an end when the door opened. Marik stood in the silhouette of the doorway, a beautiful nightmare. He came and took her wrist, forcing her to stand.

"Time for commitment, my love."

She didn't speak as she followed her eyes voids of sadness. He pulled her into the hallway, barely lit by the weakening lights. He looked over and put a hand under her chin, cupping it gently.

"Be happy, I'm making you mine. Many would die for the honor."

Serenity didn't bother to tell him how she wished she was dead at the moment. He tugged her out into the hallway. Her eyes were void of emotion, and she was easily tugged. She was so withdrawn to her fate, so ready for the never ending death she was about to live. Suddenly, Marik stiffened. His eyes widened, and he turned swiftly. Serenity turned with him, just in time to see icy blue eyes meet her own.

"You might want to give me back what's mine," a voice called from the shadows. Kaiba stepped forth, leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind him. Marik's eyes widened even more at Kaiba's unkempt appearance.

"Kaiba really," Marik said, trying desperately to keep his cool. He had been taken totally be surprise. He didn't like it. "You should knock before you enter a home. And you look a good mess. Manners, manners… you've clearly never had them."

Kaiba spat.

"Shut the fuck up scum," he said. "I didn't ask for your input." Just then, the wind picked up through an open window. The breeze ruffled Kaiba's hair, blowing the unkempt mess around. Serenity had to wonder what the hell he had been doing. Marik's grip on Serenity tightened, and she winced in pain. She turned, expecting to find him cool and collected. Instead, she found his eyes widening in, for the first time, slight fear.

"That scent… you didn't…"

Kaibe smirked.

"What's wrong Marik?" Kaiba said, his voice even and eerily calm. "Afraid to be on the same footing as me?"

Marik glared.

"I'm going to kill you tonight Seto Kaiba."

"Try it," he said, moving forward. "I am going to take her back with me tonight. No doubt."

"I'd rather die," Marik said. Kaiba smiled.

"Let's see about that."


	30. While You Die

It was like the universe had shaken and worlds had collided. Heaven had pulled the beings through, showing off its two most beautiful fallen angels. As if fighting for penance, they fought for a woman. A woman whose heart belonged to one, but who's soul had been broken in by the other. And her herself only wished for the past to come back, engulf her, and take her away. That this whole nightmare, though pleasurable and full of love, could go away.

-

-

-

Kaiba crouched down to the ground, looking down on the dead humans. Mai and Joey. If he were a Christian, he'd have prayed for their souls. But he was too far gone to help now. He looked down on their corpses, imagining the breaths that not even an hour ago, they breathed as their last. It was pitiful. That was all he could think. He stood tall, overlooking the massacre that had occurred.

"May I propose we do this quickly?" Kaiba asked, cracking his neck. "I'd like to go home and go to sleep."

"And I'd like you dead and your woman mine before the daybreak," Marik said, smiling maliciously.

Kaiba glared.

"I will make sure your mouth bleeds tonight."

"Bring it on pretty boy," Marik whispered, but just loud enough for Kaiba to hear.

Kaiba punched him.

Marik glared, whipping the blood that started to spew from his lip.

"You'll regret that," Marik said, slowly straitening his standing position. There was a wild gleam in both their eyes. Serenity was so scared; she couldn't even describe the feeling. She'd never seen either look that menacing, a maniac gleam glowing from their eyes and seeming to surround their bodies. It was like being in a fun house, where the angels were slowly turning to devils, but had stopped in the midst of the process. She backed into the corner, turning her head. Marik smirked.

"Seems she's anxious for this to be over."

Kaiba didn't return the smirk. His eyes hardened.

"I'm done talking."

-

-

-

Mokuba stirred. He held his head up, but suddenly dropped it down. He felt so heavy…

He was in a dark room. He was bandaged everywhere, and a strong scent of blood was in the air.

"What the-"

Mokuba stopped in mid-thought, grabbing his head. It was throbbing. Where the hell was he? He once again surveyed his surroundings, but nothing familiar came to mind. He searched his memories, trying to find some sense in the fog. All he found in the black abyss was his name that was constantly echoing through him.

"Mokuba…" he whispered softly. Was that his name?

He tried to think back, but his head throbbed and he forced himself to lie back down. Suddenly sleep flooded his consciousness, and he drifted away. As he slowly fell back into the nothingness that was now his life, a single picture drifted through his head. A tall solitary figure with brown hair unruly and blue eyes piercing. Beside this figure stood a woman. She was small, hair flowing down her back and had warm honey eyes. Her face held fear, but yet she continued to hold on to the solitary figure. She was a beautiful woman; he found he liked this dream. He silently wished the woman well as his head hit the pillow and his new life began.

-

-

-

Serenity quivered in the corner, a blood bath before her eyes. Marik and Kaiba were fighting to the death. Punches, stabbings, and kicks were exchanged every other minute. Groans of pain escaped each of them. Kaiba breathed heavily, a cut from his scalp spilling blood to his eyes. His legs quivered but showed no signs of giving out. He had multiple stab wounds on his arms and scrapes on his legs. He was battered, torn, and tired, but he was still alive. Marik looked no better. His cheek had a deep cut, while he held one of his wounded arms to his side with the other arm. His stomach bled its contents while one of thighs gushed blood to the point where the room was full of the strong iron smell. Both of them were on the verge of death, she was sure of it; but yet they still continued to fight. Serenity was frozen. She knew Marik was brutally malicious and a cold person. She KNEW this. But Kaiba had taken on a whole other form. The dead gleam in his eyes and the way he fought brutally, with no regard for the fact that he could kill again. Serenity felt herself go numb to her surroundings as she became lost in her memories. She remembered lying beside Kaiba on constant nights, in pain from when he would brutally make love to her. His body would be soaked in sweat and he would start to toss and turn, waking her from her slumber. She would see his face take on the very rare expression of discomfort. There was never fear on her lover's face. Never. But discomfort though rare, would surface itself from time to time. So she would silently soothe her lover in his sleep, covering him in silent kisses and soothing him with silent breaths. Eventually he would calm down and fall back into a deep slumber, resting his arm comfortably around her. And while she always felt safest in his embrace, she always felt a slight discomfort. Sometimes she would hear him speaking during his nightmares, begging for forgiveness; whispering remorse for murders that must have happened centuries ago. She never told him that she would live through his nightmares with him on countless nights. She just held him tighter as they slept, praying for the soul she was sure he had. But as she stared at the scene before her, she wasn't sure she had made the right assumptions while lying in bed with her lover. He fought ruthlessly, a killer. But she had known this all along hadn't she? Stories of his fights, the kills he had made. The lives he had taken and the ruthlessness in his eyes… She had known it all. And yet she had stood by him. As she watched him slowly start to murder someone else, she let reality hit her, feeling it's strong blows on her chest.

-

-

-

Marik breathed heavily, each breath and effort he could barely stand to make. Kaiba was fighting with a valiant effort; their strength was evenly matched. It was tiring, but at the same time he felt a thrill in this fight. He hadn't had an opponent that matched him evenly in a long time. He enjoyed every blow that came to his body, and he even more relished every blow he inflicted upon the enemy. Marik smirked. Kaiba was strong, there was no denying that. But there were weaknesses upon that him that no one but himself was aware of. Marik glanced quickly to Serenity, still numbly frozen in her corner. She may have thought that she knew Kaiba better than anyone that existed. Kaiba may have thought the same thing. But Marik knew they were both dead wrong. If anyone knew Kaiba best, it was him.

Kaiba stepped forward, fists raised and ready. Marik smirked even wider; he looked like a valiant prince.

"Kaiba…when you stepped into this room, you reeked of blood."

Kaiba stiffened. Marik grinned.

"If I didn't know any better, I could almost swear on Serenity's life that that was the smell of murder. And not just any murder... tell me, how's Mokuba?"

Kaiba thrust his fist forward, only to be caught in Marik's grasp.

"Don't let your anger mix with your guilt Kaiba. Killing your own brother… how terrible. But I have to admit, that brat had it coming. With all his stupid self righteousness, he was a disgrace to our race."

"DON'T TALK ABOUT MOKUBA LIKE THAT!"

Both Marik and Kaiba turned in shock as Serenity seemed to come to life. She sat hugging her knees, endless tears flowing down her cheeks. Both of them stood frozen staring at her.

-

-

-

Serenity felt her head go blank. Mokuba was dead? She saw Marik smirk out of the corner of her eye. He was concealing more secrets.

"What are you hiding from me?" she demanded.

"I'll kill you if you say a word Marik," Kaiba said menacingly. Mairk ignored the threat.

"You have a murder on your hands… and Zakura. What happened to her? Well... at least she isn't dead."

"Marik shut up," Kaiba repeated in the same menacing voice, but to no avail. The damage was already done.

"Serenity," Marik said, directly speaking to the quivering girl, "Look. Look at this man. Look at him. You're in love with this… this scum? He's a cold blooded murderer. He killed his own brother tonight! His blood soiled hands… are those the hands he holds you with? Is the killer inside him the one that you fuck? Is he?! IS HE?!"

Kaiba snarled and pounced, tackling Marik to the ground. He punched him violently, causing bruises that darkened in shade by the second.

"Shut…your... fucking... mouth," Kaiba raged in between his punches. Marik was pinned to the ground in shock. Kaiba seemed to sprout extra strength from nowhere. There was no fighting back. Mairk's eyes widened and he saw life flashing before his eyes. Kaiba wasn't kidding this time. But if he was going to die, it wasn't going to be quietly.

"You're a killer. You killed your own brother; the one person who ever accepted you is gone. You've killed endless people. How Serenity can love you is way beyond my realm of understanding. I may be bad Kaiba… but if you compare anything I've ever done to everything you've done, there is NO comparison. I can **promise **you that."

Kaiba tightened his grip around Marik's throat.

"I am going to make sure you never live to break that promise. I am going to kill you, once and for all Marik. I am going to make sure you never come back to raise hell in my life again. And I will sleep easier, knowing that you're not out there, torturing Serenity in any way. You're done."

Marik smirked, causing Kaiba to raise an eyebrow.

"What are you going do?" Marik asked quietly, spitting blood form his mouth. "Rip my heart out too? I'd prefer an original death, not Mokuba's death."

Kaiba's eyes widened with fury, and he raised his hand above his head, aiming for Marik's heart.

"Say goodbye," Kaiba whispered, his voice dripping icy terror.

"STOP!" Serenity called, her feet suddenly becoming unfrozen. She stood quickly, running to the scene where cruelty lied, trying to prevent everything. But she was too late, and a violent ripping sound filled the air.

-

-

-

Marik's eyes widened. Kaiba's hand was in his chest, inside his body. Kaiba was breathing heavily, an adrenaline rush flowing through his whole body. Serenity stood silently above the figures, eyes wide. She dropped to her knees in shock, speechless. Marik looked at her, crying for him. How stupid could someone get? After everything she had gone through because of him, she was crying for him. He whispered his final words to her.

"You… are an idiot," he whispered, almost affectionately. "But… I have to admit… I…"

"Shut up," Kaiba whispered, and he extracted his hand from Marik's chest as quick as lightening, a beating heart in his palm. Marik choked on his own blood. He died. As quickly as the nightmare had started, it was done.


	31. Together Forever

This is the last chapter of A Vampire's Bite. It's been amazing working on this story, and every reviewer has made me very happy . I'd like to thank everyone who's put up with my long absences and my huge amounts of writer's blo0ck at times (especially my friend Ki Wingz, who's stuck there with me no matter what .. I'll be starting my new story very soon, so look out for it. Ja!

L0ve-in-the-dark)

Serenity's world caved around her, and for a few seconds she forgot where she was. All she was aware of was Marik's dead body in front of her and the fact that his blood was pooling around her knees. He really was dead. Slowly, she reached her hand out to touch his face. His skin was cold beneath her fingertips. His eyes no longer held the cold malice she was so accustomed to seeing; they were void and empty. Even in death, Marik showed no fear. His hands curled into fists, never once letting down their defenses. Blood seeped from unknown origins. Serenity couldn't count the minutes she stood there, surrounded by an air of sorrow and murder. When she felt herself being caught up in it all, a hand grasped her shoulder, bringing her back to reality. She turned, her blank eyes staring into Kaiba's blue ones. At first, she was speechless. The hand's grip on her shoulder tightened.

"Let's go back," he told her, lifting her to her feet. "You don't want to be here right now, and neither do I. Let's go."

"NO!" Serenity shouted, suddenly regaining her voice and pulling away from him. "Get away from me!"

Kaiba scowled.

"I don't have time for this right now Serenity," he told her, slowly walking toward her. "I have a very addictive liquid running through my veins. I'm fighting the addiction as we speak, and you choosing to fight me right now isn't helping my situation. Come home with me. **Now** Serenity."

The way he spoke when he said her name sent a chill down Serenity's spine. She ran to the door, sprinting into the hallway of the abandoned building. As she tried to run down the hallway, a hand reached out and gripped her wrist tightly. She winced and gasped in pain, suddenly thrown to the ground.

"Why are you running Serenity?" Kaiba asked slowly, dragging each word out with an icy chill. "What are you scared of? I saved you, didn't I?" Serenity was so scared, she felt herself rooted to the spot where he had thrown her. It was unbelievable. He could make her feel so safe and secure, but this other side of him was about to kill her with a single stare.

"Go away," she said, shutting her eyes and clamping her hands over her ears. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Serenity's cries fell on deaf ears as she felt Kaiba pick her up by the wrists. She cried out in pain once again, but that cry too fell on deaf ears.

"That bastard put you through hell and back," Kaiba said to her face, which she covered behind her hands. She heard an angry growl rise from his throat. "He fucking put you through hell… violated you… HE RAPED YOU SERENITY! DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? I **know** you do. He took your fucking brother away from you, HE MURDERED HIM. I KNOW YOU REMEMBER THAT! He tried to take you **AWAY** from me. Separate us PERMANENTLY. He tried ALL of that, and you're SERIOUSLY sitting there crying for the poor bastard?! You're seriously scared of ME?! Me, the one person who'd fucking give everything for you. I would fucking give up my immortality for you. I love you to DEATH. And you're scared of ME?"

-

-

-

Serenity started shaking. She couldn't help it; the shock from everything that had happened in the past few hours just seemed to set in. Her brother's death, Mai's death, and finally Marik's death. Everything was hitting her at once, and she felt like she was about to spiral out of control. Kaiba was grasping her wrists so tight she felt like the circulation was about to be cut off. He was such a monster.

Serenity's eyes widened. Did she really think that of him? She stared at him now.

His hair was unkempt and his eyes shone with such ferocity she felt like she was going to cry. His body was blood stained and soaked through with sweat, hands so badly covered in blood that you could have thought he'd soaked them in dye. He was torn and battered and beaten, but he was alive. Alive and well, fighting an addiction of a liquid monster he had created and ingested, knowing the consequences. He was the devil; he really was. And she was trapped in his embrace, sinning in his seduction. She loved him; everything that had happened hadn't changed that. But the fear she felt running through her veins was colder than the stare that sometimes came from his eyes.

"You're… hurting… me," she gasped out in whispers, causing him to loosen his grip a little. He still refused to let her go. She wanted to cry, but she discovered she seemed to have run out of tears.

"Let me go... you fucking monster."

Serenity had said it as a whisper, but its impact was to the same effect as if she had shouted it across an empty space. Kaiba's eyes went blank, and he dropped her. Serenity fell to the ground, landing on her knees. She rubbed the side of her arms, knowing that five finger sized bruises would show up on each arm by the next day. Kaiba dropped to his knees beside her, his face expressionless.

"What did you call me?" he asked her, letting the words slowly leave his mouth. Serenity started to cry again; she hated what this destiny was doing to both of them. It was fucking with their heads; slowly tearing them apart. She didn't want that to happen. She wouldn't let it happen. But after what she had just saw him do, the crime he had committed, what else was she to call him?

"A monster," she answered, casting her gaze downward as she answered. She braced herself, expecting an angry blow of his to come to her face. After a moment, she opened her eyes. He sat there, staring at the ground.

"…Seto?" she asked, wondering whether or not he was coherent.

"What?" he snapped back, not bothering to hide the fact that he was angry.

"…What's happening?" she asked, the whole situation flying through her head; everything from day one wasn't leaving her head. Every doubt, ever moment of pain and pleasure, every ounce of love she felt for him that ran through her body… all of it ran through her at this very moment.

"Happening?" he asked, for once confused by a question she asked.

"With us," she said quietly, slowly reaching her hand toward his, but still not taking it. "What's happening?"

"What's happening is that you're leaving me," he said, still casting his gaze downward. Her eyes widened. Leaving him? Never.

"I'm not leaving you," she whispered, her fear seeming to subside for the moment.

"Oh?" he asked, finally casting his gaze upward. Serenity gasped; he was crying. Tears pooled in his eyes and slowly made their way down his cheeks. They were faint, but there were definitely tears. "You're not? You've done a good job of convincing me otherwise, Serenity. You tell me you love me, but you've been doing things that show the opposite. You say you'll marry me, but then you leave me while I'm sleeping. You ran away to Marik's refuge instead of staying with me more times then I can count. You leave me for the one person in the whole fucking universe I can't stand. You have no problem tying yourself to him for eternity, but me? Me you couldn't even give the time of day to. All big decisions concerning me have to be thought over, discussed with people you barely know, but not me. For him, they were spur of the moment, always balancing in his favor. You think you know me so well, when in truth you don't. And every time I think I have you figured out, you turn into someone else. You're everything I want and everything I need; the one thing I truly need to survive as a man, not a vampire or even a human. Just as a man, I need you. … What people say is true. The one thing you want the most, you can't have. The minute I think I have you, I realize I'm wrong. I'm never wrong. I… I killed my own brother tonight, Serenity. The one person who has always been consistent in my life… he's gone." Kaiba started crying more fiercely, his tears flowing faster by the minute. "I sacrificed everything for you. I almost killed myself for you. I killed Marik for you. I thought… I honestly thought… that if he was gone, everything would be fine. That we could live our lives together, just you and me. …I've never been wrong before. With you, everything is wrong. I'm still getting used to it."

Serenity sat there speechless, his words running through her mind. She had never heard something more hurtful, truthful, and beautiful all at once. Serenity stared at the man before her. She once thought him indestructible. She realized now that she was wrong. Whatever power she seemed to have over him, she finally realized that it ran both ways. He made her so happy; he made her so frustrated; he made her more scared then she had ever been of anybody. She blushed as she thought about their countless sexual encounters, the way he had taught her things she had never thought she'd be doing. She loved the way she knew that place where their bodies fit perfectly, and how when he was inside her, the ecstasy was enough to fuel her. She felt she existed solely on him, his body and his intellectual stamina. Everything he did, and the countless conversations they had shared; it was everything. He was her everything. No matter what act he could commit, she could never hate him. He had murdered his own brother; someone she considered a friend. He murdered Marik, someone who she honestly knew she wanted dead in the depths of her heart. The way Kaiba had killed him, so mercilessly and so heartlessly… it was enough to chill anyone to the bone. Serenity shuddered at the thought that he was used to committing the act of murder; he had done it so many times. His hands were permanently soiled with death; a monster lived within his body. She knew all this, yet she still found her hand reaching for his.

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Kaiba felt warm fingers graze his skin. Soon, her small hand found its way into his. He couldn't hide the shock on his face as he looked up. Her face had a small, crooked smile on it. After everything, she was smiling at him.

"I love you," she whispered, putting his fears at ease for the moment. "I am not going to leave you. I don't **want** to leave you, and I don't **have **to leave you." Serenity gripped Kaiba's hand, hoping he could feel her need through the feeble grip. "You're all I have."

Kaiba couldn't help himself as he pulled her toward him, crushing his lips to hers. The time and the place were so inappropriate for his actions, but he couldn't' help it. Relief and happiness flooded through his body, making him forget the heinous acts he had committed in the past night. He wanted to take everything from her, while at the same time giving her everything from him. He wanted to be with her forever.

When Kaiba finally pulled away, he cradled Serenity's head in his hands. She was bloodstained and worn, but he'd honestly never seen her look more beautiful.

"Serenity," he started, letting his voice draw out slowly. "You're everything I'm not, and everything I want to be. Can't you be with me forever? I'll give you everything I have; I'll give you all of me. I'll beg you, if you want. Please… commit to me?"

Serenity started to cry, and he watched as fresh tears stained her cheeks, matching his own. Slowly, she nodded.

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It was a cool night a week later, the new moon making the night shine with an unusual dark brilliance. Kaiba stood in the depths of his mansion, dressed in a formal suit. The most trusted of his clan surrounded him, Bakura at the head of them. Zakura had never been found; the rumor was that she had run away. Kaiba knew better; wherever Zakura was, she wasn't living. His heart ached for his friend; he truly did miss her. But as he stared at the empty space to his right, he knew that Mokuba never coming back had stabbed at his heart more then a dozen knives. His body was also missing; Kaiba didn't have the heart to look for it. By finding it, he knew he would see the damage he had done. That night would forever live in infamy in his mind. He lit a candle with a match, and slowly dropped it into a small bowl of holy water. The match sizzled out, no smoke coming from it. He spoke.

"Tonight, the bonds of infinity will be made. I, Seto Kaiba, make a vow before you, my blood. Tonight, I commit to one woman for the rest of eternity. I make her my love, my life, and my wife. All of you bear witness, step forward and burn your fingers in the holy water. Let me see your loyalty."

One by one, Kaiba's small group of what he considered friends stepped forth, dipping their fingers in the Holy Water. Each winced slightly, as the holy water burned their skin. He smiled; he loved their loyalty. As each of them returned to their original positions, the door to the dark room slowly opened. Serenity stood there, a nervous expression on her face. She was dressed in only a white silk robe, a measly sash tying it around her waist. Kaiba felt his lust grow in an instant, but quickly repressed it. His cool exterior remained as she slowly made her way to the pedestal where he stood. Kaiba stepped down, allowing Bakura to stand tallest. He seemed to become their priest.

"As we have grown as a species for generations, we have grown to understand that we can't always have life handed easily to us. Those who endure only come out stronger. Please understand that when this vow is made, it can never be broken while living. This is infinite, and a vampire cannot be killed so easily. To leave this bond is the most excruciating pain in existence. If either of you wish to not make this commitment, please slowly step down form the pedestal." Neither Kaiba nor Serenity moved. Bartley smirked. "Very well. Seth, I believe you know what to do more than I do from this point."

Slowly, Seth extracted a blade from his pocket. He held Serenity's hand, lacing his fingers with hers. He cut a slow circle around their wrists, letting them bleed together. Serenity winced slightly, but otherwise took the pain fairly well.

"Promise you'll be mine forever," he said to her, a firm commandment in his voice.

"I promise," Serenity said, no hesitation whatsoever. Kaiba leaned down, and soon his mouth was only an inch away from her neck.

"Are you sure?"

Serenity, shifted her hair away form her neck, nodding. As if in slow motion, Seth reached down and rested his lips on her hot skin. He lingered there for a few moments, as if building suspense. And then he bit.

Serenity started to scream. It was unlike any pain she had ever felt before, but as soon as it had hit her, it was gone. She felt him sucking humanity from her body, a cool numbness coming over her. But yet, she wasn't scared. Anything that would keep her with him forever couldn't be scary. It was bringing her happiness. Kaiba pulled back, blood dripping from his mouth. His clan cleared the way, making a clear path for them to walk. He took her hand, leading her through what was now her clan to. Once at the door, he picked her up and carried her, his hands slightly slipping on her silk robe. Soon they were at the bedroom they would now share. Serenity looked into Kaiba's eyes, knowing that they would be her only temptation from now on. There was no other option. She didn't want one. He silently placed her down, and they just sat staring at each other for a few moments. Quick as lightening, Kaiba pushed her down on the bed, his hand pulling at her robe's sash so that it fell to the ground. Serenity squeaked, trying to cover up her bare skin, but Kaiba firmly held her hands in his own. He kissed her so ferociously, making her needier by the minute. They pulled apart after a few moments, their breathing heavy.

"Tonight," he said, leaning her back so that he was on top of her. "I won't let you sleep."

Serenity's cheeks blushed dark crimson. Kaiba smiled.

"You're mine," he said, like so many times before. Only this time, it was the undeniable truth. A truth that no matter what, could never be broken. Serenity sighed heavily as his head rested on her chest, bite marks being left on her collarbone. No matter what, everything would be different form now on. She could never die, she could never leave him and she would never be human again. Was it worth it? Taking her husband into her arms and feeling the pressure she of him inside her, Serenity sighed with ecstasy toward the sky. As long as she had him, nothing could be wrong. And that was the last thought in her head as she lost herself to her desires, knowing that now, he was her only desire. And that was fine with her

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**Fin.**


End file.
